


Night Orchards

by Western42



Category: Undertale (Video Game), Undertale AU - Fandom
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-24
Updated: 2019-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:28:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 24,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21931999
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Western42/pseuds/Western42
Summary: After a great war with monsters ending up going into a mountain the monsters decided that they would rather get revenge than just live with the life that the humans gave them. Then one day, a monster human girl named Anjelica who was raised on the surface by her mother, decides to finally go and find the other monsters. While she doesn't know anything about monsters or their full history she feels like finding them is the only thing that can bring purpose to her life. As it turns out she did find the monsters...the it seems to have a cost. She always was a fragile girl and while she is trying to find out more about herself and the monsters she keeps getting killed and somehow coming back...and sometimes a flower grows out of her. Soon her best friend, Bellie, comes down with another human. The only problem is that the monsters have had a slip up, causing time to freeze in certain places. By the time Bellie and her friend meets Anjelica again...she has changed. Another thing that is standing in Bellie's way is the judges and the leader, a human monster named Anti, is dead sent on killing them.
Kudos: 1





	Night Orchards

**Author's Note:**

> This is still being copied and I made this nearly two years ago.

‌

Chapter 1

A pill from father

I heard our door open up, the bell indicating the return of my father. I was playing with a bone during this. I wondered what I could do if I really put my heart into it. I once said this to my friend Pike. He laughed and said that we can’t. Our bodies will not allow us to go forward. Unless we get some of that magic that humans get from the gods or whatever theory you believe. 

I couldn’t wait to see my dad. I zapped my bone away and got up to meet him. He walked into the kitchen still wearing his lab coat. That’s strange. He normally hangs it up on the coat rack. He actually always hangs it up when at home. The only time he hasn’t is when a colleague was with him. Even so his face was even stranger. He always seemed cheerful and happy but today he seemed sad and guilty.    
“Dad! Are you okay?” I asked, worried. He didn’t respond. He just placed his briefcase onto the kitchen counter and let out a sigh. I hugged him.

“Are you alright?” I asked again. If dad was scared of something then I was scared of something.

“Anti… I need you to do something for me. For your kingdom.”

I stopped hugging him and took a step back. It wasn’t my kingdom. Did this also mean more tests? I was okay with the tests by now. 

“Sure! What is it?” I asked cheerfully. Dad looked at me with a guilty expression. He swallowed. I was now more than a little nervous. What was the test?

“Defend. Defend yourself Anti.”   
I took another step back.

“What?”

My dad made a small movement with his hands and five bones appeared in the air.    
“D-dad?”

He snapped his fingers and the bones went towards me. I quickly thought of an action plan. I dodged the first three, summoned my own bone and blocked the fourth one. Then I grabbed the fifth one. It nearly hit me on my head. I then broke it.

“I see the Z-Fluid still is working well.” My dad said, once again turning around. I let out a sigh and started to calm down my body. Some time ago when I was three I was given Z-Fluid. It made me stronger but there was only one in the whole kingdom. I wondered why they would use it on me. I was just the son of the lead scientist. Sure that meant I was important but why not give it to the two kings or Sheyra? Whatever it did though it gave me some kind of problem with my left eye. It would start to glow a strange violet purple mixed in with black and pink color. During this time my right eye would hurt a lot but with this eye on I could do a lot more powerful attacks. But then I noticed something one day while training with dad. He looked at me with a worried look and put a cloth to my right eye. It went through like I had no eye. It then pulled back. The cloth was coated with blood. When I use that eye my other eye disappears into nothing but an empty socket. If I used it for too long my right eye would start to bleed. I never wanted to find out what happened if I continued after my right eye started bleeding. 

I looked up at my dad only to see what must be twenty bones floating in the air, pointing themselves at me.

“Dad!?” I yelped, jumping back.

“Defend again.” My dad replied. He snapped his fingers again. This time my left eye activated. I summoned five spears flew up on either side of me and tried their best to deflect the bones but my dad made them dodge a weave past them. Only four got caught. I crouched down and quickly looked at all the bones and their pattern. I dodged three as they stabbed the ground where I was. One hit me square on the shoulder, messing me up and making me lose my concentration. I growled as a bone nearly crushed my hand. My left eye went brighter. I gained my concentration and jumped up, avoiding seven but an eighth one hit my on the leg. I gritted my teeth and forced myself to still keep my stance as I landed on all fours on the ground, ready to dodge again. I spun to the right to avoid a bone but hit the kitchen table. That made me lose it. I stumbled back and then a bone hit me on the head. I hit the wall and felt the last two hit my in the ribs. I fell down, groaning in pain. I got up and nearly fell down again but caught myself just in time. I just managed to get up with what strength I have left. I felt some blood trickle down my mouth. My right eye was bleeding. I leaned against the wall, feeling my body grow weak. 

“Here. Take this.” 

My dad gave me a strange red and yellow small sized pill. I hesitantly took it. Maybe it was suppose to heal me? I felt a flicker of doubt in my mind but dad looked like he wasn’t gonna stop training me yet. I took it… And the moment I swallowed it I felt a strange warm sensation run throughout my body.    
“Was that a healing pill?” I asked. I was feeling much better… then I stopped breathing.

  
  
  
  
  


Chapter 2

Penny and the Frozen Outpost

  
  
  


“ANTI! Stop sleeping on the JOB!”

I opened one eye and looked at the lanky shape of a skeleton approaching. Penny. Penny is Nick’s younger brother and youngest member of the sentry. He’s the rookie that I was suppose to train. I guess though, more or less he is training me to stay awake on sentry duty.

“When are you gonna show me the best places to travel around the woods to the different sentry stations undetected?”

I let out a sigh and a yawn and stretch my arms in the air and looked at him. 

“Hey Penny. Your awake this early? It’s one o'clock in the morning.”

“I don’t sleep in.”  
I let out an amused laugh. Penny doesn’t really know what sleeping in is. He always thinks that he should be awake early in case anything happens. I say let the night sentrys do their jobs.

“Later…” I told Penny, knowing what he would say next.

“You said that LAST time.”  Penny pointed out flatly. Yep. I knew that’s what he would say. I looked out into the forest. It was still a little too cold for my liking and I didn’t want to give him blue bones but Nick did say he learns best if he thinks its a challenge. I quickly calculated the best route to take that wasn’t as dangerous and got up.

“Alright. Let us go. I can’t keep you waiting forever.”

Penny looked like he was about to say ugh fine but he then realized what I had said.

“Wait Really?”  He asked excitedly. 

“Yep. Your a sentry now so you must know the routes.”

I got up off my lazy boney butt and walked outside my station and beckoned Penny to follow me. I walked forward into the woods with Penny excitingly bouncing behind me. 

“The thing about the woods is not being afraid of what’s in it. We are monsters after all.” I pointed out. Once you get past the large scary looking trees and the fog and of course the snow mud you the forest is a magical place. A frozen river and beautiful white snow covered logs and birds singing. Forest flowers blooming. In some places even the thick scary looking canopy of the trees will let a ray of sunshine go down and warm the ground, letting patches of grass and flowers grow. 

“Its beautiful.”  Penny said. He always thought the forest was scary but once you go inside of it, just like me, you can now see its beauty. 

“And the best thing is it’s all ours. No other monsters have the courage to step into here. Let me show you the outpost” 

“Outpost?”  Penny asked. When I showed him the tree house fortress his eye sockets widened in amazement. Yes, skeletons can show feelings. Its called magic.

Penny began to examine the outpost, even touching the large wooden spike jutting out of the side. There weren’t really meant for anything other than details. 

“This needs a proper name.”  Penny said. 

“I think the Frozen Outpost would be A GREAT NAME!”

“That’s such a cool name.” I told Penny. Penny let out a snarky laugh and posed dramatically in front of the ladder leading up to the outpost. I pulled out my phone and took a picture of him in front of the outpost.

“Lets see how many monsters love this one.” I posted it. Now we just wait. I looked at my watch.

1:35

At two I had to take another pill. I let out a sigh. Dad… I hope you get the contest first prize. 

“Come on Penny. Let me show you my favorite hidden sentry used for stalking people walking in the woods.”

Penny let out a girlish gasp.

“HIDDEN SENTRY STATION!?”

Chapter 3

A bad mistake

  
  
  


I felt my insides start to burn. I let out a startled choking noise. I fell onto my knees. I started crying. A terrible pain filled my mouth and my left eye started throbbing. I knew my right eye was bleeding heavily now but I couldn’t turn off my left eye. I felt like I was screaming but if I was, I couldn’t tell. Blood was coming out of my eyes as well as more tears. I saw my tears hit the ground, only they weren’t clear, they were black. They started to come faster and faster until a black puddle was surrounding me. Suddenly the pain started to soothe over. That warm sensation was still there though. Now only a few black tears fell down my face.

“Defend Anti. Defe-”

My mind was wheeling. Why would he do this… Why? WHY? WHY!?    
**“NO! YOU DEFEND YOUR- J-j-JUST DIE!” **

I screamed and slammed my hands onto the ground. Bones started jutting out of it in making its way towards my father. He looked surprised at first and then pleased. His eye turned purple and he quickly dodged to the left avoiding my attack. The bones destroyed the counter and the kitchen wall. I quickly locked onto him and crouched.

“Good. No-” 

I never let him finish once again. I leaped at him and I barreled into him. I had him pinned down onto the floor. I wasn’t thinking. Stop… Stop… Stop.    
I raised my hand up in the air and noticed something. My fingernails were sharper and curved downwards like claws. My hand started glowing a strange purple color. I located where his heart would be and it darted forward.

Of course my dad wouldn’t be that stupid and just ket me kill him. He teleported right from beneath me. My hand slammed the ground and made a massive hole. I hissed and spun around to face my dad who looked shocked. 

“Now. Defend” My dad said firmly. His right eye turned red and a strange looking red and purple glowing cylinder appeared. It started humming and started spinning faster and faster. I then recognized it as a cannon of some sort. I dodged it as it fired a purple energy ball. I looked at dad. My anger was beginning to past. He shrugged and choose three more of those cannons and they began spinning. A sudden flash of pain made me angry again. He made me take that damn pill. This is…  **THIS IS ON HIM!**

I don’t know what I summoned. It looked like a cross between a dragon and a dog skull with small patches of random fur. It had a yellow sphere in its eye sockets as it was a skeleton looking thing. It glared at my dad who was now completely shocked. I felt a connection to it. A connection that was very strong. I knew what I had to do. I opened my right hand as if I wanted to get something or I was offering something. The creature looked at me then back at dad and opened its mouth wide. Its left eye started changing color to different shades of yellow and purple, taking up its entire eye socket. A low humming noise filled the house. A red and yellow energy ball started forming inside the creatures mouth and started getting bigger and bigger as the humming noise increased and then it was at its max.

“Anti…” My dad said, his expression unreadable.

I looked at him flatly, my emotions off. I was dimly aware of the front door opening. I closed my hand. A loud boom sound and the energy ball turned out to be a lazar beam. A flash of brilliant yellow light filled the house and as soon as it was fired it stopped. The creature closed its mouth, its left eye back to having a yellow sphere in it. It looked a lot smaller and thinner than before. Smoke was seeping out of its mouth. I felt a tinge of energy drain from my body. My anger suddenly disappeared and the creature just vanished. I fell to the floor, blackness being the only thing I see.

….

I looked at my son and sighed. I knew the effects of the pill. It worked better than I imagine but the uncontrolled anger. There must be a way to direct that to humans. My other older son Connor stepped into the room.

“Dad?” He asked, looking around. I looked at him then at the mess. I looked at the hole that the creature Anti summoned made. I could hear the guards rushing over. It went all the way through the house and burned the trees in the backyard. I even saw a satellite in the distance that seemed to have a chunk taken out of it. I looked at Anti. He was curled up into a ball sleeping peacefully. Too late it was too go back. I didn’t know how this had happened. I let out a sigh. What am I doing? I looked at Anti. He was so young and innocent. He doesn’t deserve the fate that the king had planned for him. Why him? I wish I knew…

  
  
  
  
  


Chapter 4

A game at a bar

  
  


I walked into the bar and looked around until I saw Nick. 

“Hey Nick.” I called out to him. The skeleton looked up from the card game he was playing with Vengo.    
“Vengo! What’s up?” 

Nick pulled a chair with next to him. I sat down.

“Who’s winning?” I asked. The game they were playing was The Dark Woods. It was a kinda basic yet fun card game. 

“Nick is winning. Anyway, I heard you gae Penny a tour of the outpost.”   
“Yeah. He gave in a name. The Frozen Outpost.”

Vengo seemed to pause and think for a second.

“That’s an actually great name.”

Vengo placed down an ace and a queen. Nick looked at it then let out a string of curse words.

“Dammit! I can’t believe I didn’t guard that.”

“You may be beating me but I won’t make it easy for ya.”  Vengo barked, laughing as Nick desperately tried to defend against the dou. 

“A simple mistake that might go in your favor.” I commented.

“I doubt it. Were to far into the game for him to turn the tide.”

“Maybe. Maybe not.”

I leaned back in my chair and put my feet on the chair that was unoccupied. 

“George! Can you get me a Vendak-temple?”

“Sure.”  George said, going in the back to get the Vendak.

“So… Is the sentry desk finished yet?”

Vengo shook his head and scratched his ear. 

“Connor has some high expectations that is still will take a long time.”

“Heads up!” 

George came forward and gave me a bottle of Vendak-temple. I gave him 4.50 and then settled back down. I felt a slight buzz and took out my phone.

One first place.

Great job! What was

the prize?

123.060 And a cossencial vile.

That’s a first.

Any news that I should

be aware about?

Nothing unusual.

Unless you count me finally

showing Penny the woods.

Did he see the outpost

there?

Yes. He named it the Frozen

Outpost. Cool name right?

Very cool! Penny has a

really great sense when it 

comes to naming things…

Sometimes.

Tell me about it.

Most of the names he comes

up with were good.

Hmmm. That is true. Should I

try and see what names he can come up

with my viles?

Hell no. That is not gonna

happen.

Ha ha. Yeah…

I love you Anti.

  
  


I love you Anti… I don’t know how to feel about that. I know my dad loves me. He doesn’t hide it. I just don’t know if I love him… What am I saying? Of course I love him. He’s my father. He’s always been good to me and cared for me. However, the pills and the experiments. Those weren’t his ideas… right? Maybe, maybe not. How am I suppose to know? You are the leader of the sentry’s, your wise and can keep a level head and can see past someone’s facade. Figure it out… How do I figure it out?

Anti?

I love him. I will love him no matter what. Nothing can change that. I can’t afford not to love him. Just to do that after everything he has done for me… He made it so I can protect him. I can fight back. I may have a weak soul but… I he gave me the ability to fight back. I owe him that.

I love you too dad.

Sorry, just watching Vengo beating 

Nick.

Heh. Nick must have let his

guard down.

Love you dad.

When are you coming home?

In two days. Once I am home

I have a treat for you and Connor.

Well… Until then.

Until then.

Love you. Tell Connor that too.

I will. I will.

  
  


I placed down my phone. Connor has always been far from dad. I never figured out why? I wish I knew… But so far he never said anything at all that hinted to why.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Chapter 5

A fragile girl in a dangerous place

  
  
  


I must have died. I opened one eye. It sure didn’t seem like it. I was in a cozy looking room with broken cracked yellowish walls. Some vines grew out of them but other than that the place looked somewhat new. Maybe it was a design? No. Why would someone do that? Maybe i’m not dead? I looked down the tunnel that brought me here. It definitely fell on top of me. I felt the dust of the rocks falling on my head. I had let out a scream and covered my face. Now that I think of it that was a stipid thing to do. What was that gonna do? The rocks were heavy looking and I was a fragile girl. After that I just woke up here. Sure enough the tunnel was closed in.    
“What the hell?” I knew I shouldn’t have cursed out loud. Even with my mother not here she taught me better than that. I let out a confused sigh and put my hand to my head. I had a sudden splitting headache. I let out a hiss of annoyance but it soon passed. Since there was no way of going back the way I can, I guess I will go forward. The room I was in was somewhat tiny. It seemed to be the entrance to something with a large gate on the top of some stares. Black spikes were jutting out of the gate but someone has put flowers on them. I guess they didn’t want this place to look intimidating. I guess I can see how someone could mistake the spiky gate for intimidating but it looked nice and entrancing with the yellowish background. Kind of like golden sand. I couldn’t put my finger on it on how come I liked the color so much. Why was I here again?

Everything was so foggy except for the tunnel collapsing in wit me inside. I remember that as clear as day…

My flashlight! 

I desperately looked around for it. I couldn’t see it anywhere. Did it get crushed? No. It couldn’t have since I was holding it in my mouth. Yeah it did fall out when I cried out in panic as the rocks came barreling down but if more than anything it would have made it out and not me. I started letting out a panicking whimper. I was deathly afraid of the dark. If the rest of this place was dark like the tunnel… The only thing that kept this room lit up was some torches that someone has deliberately placed. I gathered my nerve. Maybe I can catch up with or meet the person who lit this room. Maybe I will scare them though! My appearance was rather monstrous. I am a monster after all. I had purple spheres as eyes instead of normal eyes. I had eye sockets more or less. I had pieces of bone sticking out of my neck that were attached to my spine. I had sharp teeth and my finger nails, no matter how much I cut them or clip them, were like claws. The only things human was my tan skin and my long curly reddish hair. Maybe the clothes too. I wore a red sweatshirt with black stripes and black shorts with the name of my favorite soccer and baseball team in yellow.

Go Yellow Tunnels!

I now remembered what I was doing down here! I got into a fight with my mom and my best and only friend and went out to search for my own kind. Monsters. The mountain we lived next to was almost entirely carved out. There was just this small box of a black material with a tube of it leading down and down that was unmineable. Miners said myths about monsters living inside that tunnel. We all knew that it was a ghost story because any kids, yes kids, (they were the only ones that could go down there because the entrance to the box was too small) always went missing and never returned. I remembered thinking I should go back as I saw the black box. But I felt a sudden tug. I needed to go in there. I just felt like I was gonna die then. I hesitated for a while. Just as I got my nerve and started climbing into the hole I heard footsteps behind me and a familiar voice calling my name.

“Annie! Wait! Stop!”

I let out an uncomfortable hiss and waited until Bellie was a few feet behind me. She was panting and sweating so much that I couldn’t even smell anything else. I always had a really great sense of hearing and smell. I also had sharp eye sight. 

Finally she caught her breath and started speaking.

“Don’t go in, don’t go in there. It’s Suicide!” 

“If there’s a chance than i’m taking it.” 

How could she understand? She could go out in public and go to school and do all sorts of things that I can’t do. I can’t do it because of what I am. A monster, a literal monster. I can go to a few places outside of my home and that’s with a hood or hate on as well as a pair of sunglasses. The few people who know of my identity outside my family is Bellie and the miners who work in this section. Even then I can’t go and hang out with them much  in case a rookie sees me.

“We all know that it’s not true. Hell even the miners admit it.”

I looked at my friend. She was bent down with effort of running this far without pause. She was looking at me desperately, her violet human eyes looking into my monster eyes. I let out a sigh. I could always go back? No. No. I can’t go back. I can’t keep living without knowing what the hell happened to my kind. To meet them and be looked at normally. Not as a freak of nature. I had to do this. 

“Then how come all those children went missing? What about them?”   
Bellie let out an annoyed sigh. 

“It’s a tunnel made out of a strange unbreakable black substance that can lead to anywhere. They died because its a cave.”

I shook my head.

“It must lead to somewhere.”

“Your holding onto a hope that isn’t there. There are many more weird places that have higher chances than this tunnel to lead to monsters. This is just a tunnel. Let’s go before something bad happens like you going inside the tunnel or a rookie finding you.”

That’s the reason why I must do this. I am tired of running away and hiding. 

“I’m sorry but I can’t. I can’t just not do this.” I refused to look at Bellie. The chances of me not seeing her again are very high. She knows it too.

“Please Annie. Please don’t do this.” 

I could tell she was crying. I was beginning to cry too. I am gonna miss her so much. Everyone too. But the urge was there. I wouldn’t make it to another place like this. 

“Goodbye Bellie. I hope I see you again.” I didn’t wait for a response. I went into the tunnel.

“Annie!” 

I urged myself to go deeper into the tunnel, deeper and deeper, going until I could find a way to exit the mess I have just created.

  
  
  


Chapter 6

The Golden Archway

  
  
  


No use in dwelling in the past I thought. I could tell a few tears were coming out of my eyes. I wanted to tell Bellie that I made it! I have found something! But… I don’t think I will get to. Not for a long time. Maybe if I called her… I then remembered that I left my phone at home. I slapped myself in the face. If Bellie or Jeff were here right now they would be saying how I should always plan ahead. Even Jeff won’t be able to help me out now I realized. He always helped me with things. I could always rely on him even if he didn’t give me the answers I wanted. I miss him with his goofy mustache and Bellie and her positive attitude and-

No… What am I doing? The only way that I can see them again is if I don’t give up. I have to keep going forward and see if there’s a way to escape this place.

I wondered if there is a way to open this massive gate. I saw no switch and no button or anything. I leaned on the gate, thinking of a way to get inside. The gate swung open slowly  with a creak, making me nearly fall. Luckily I caught myself just before I hit the ground. Guess I should always try opening it first. I saw nothing but darkness on the other side. I gulped and took a step back, scared. I could see nothing but black. Black, black, black black black Black! Calm down Ann. You can do this. You can get to your friends and family. You, you just have to be brave. I took a step forward and saw that my flashlight was on the ground. I quickly picked it up and turned it on. I could dimly see that I was in a massive room. It seemed to be some kind of throne room. I saw an old rusty golden colored chair sitting at the end of the room. Behind it was a passageway. I started slowly walking forward, swinging my flashlight back and forth. I noticed old cracked stone slabs on the walls but I couldn’t tell if anything was on them since it was too dark and my flashlight didn’t really help much. 

“Hello? Anyone here?” 

I waited for a response but when none came I continued walking forward. The passageway behind the throne had a beautiful gold, erm… gold, what is it called? 

I racked my brain for answers. A-a… A Ache! That's what there called right? I felt like it was wrong. I shone my flashlight on it once I noticed that it had some writing on it. I couldn’t make out what it said. Then above it I saw the word Golden Arch. Oh… guess that is the name of the doorway or maybe it’s the name of the doorway. I couldn’t read any of the other words as they seemed to be in a different language.

I walked into the next room. It was even darker than the last room. I started to grow even more afraid. My flashlight didn’t even reach the wall.

“Hello?”

I put my hands to my ears. The echo in this room was loud. But it wasn’t that noise that made me wince. The sound was something like metal scraping against metal. I always had sensitive ears. 

“Hello?” I tried again. Once again I put my hands to my ears as the noise came again. This time it was louder. I located the sound and took a couple of steps into the room and looked up. A loose metal shard was the source.

“Hello?” I asked, at a lesser volume. The metal came loose a little bit but other than that it didn’t make the same noise as before. The louder the noise the looser it gets. I decided to walk around it. The moment though that I took a step the metal shard, with a terrible screeching noise, came crashing towards the ground. I let out a panicked yelp and tripped onto the floor. I closed my eyes and thought of the terrible pain that was soon to come. Nothing. I opened one eye. The metal shard stabbed the ground and landed right in between my legs. 

I let out a sob of relief. The realization of what had just happened hit me. If it were a few inches towards me it would have pierced my stomach and pinned me to the ground like a bug. I remembered that I used to do that with some insects as a child. I saw them struggle. I remember one day my mom caught me and said what if that happened to me. That made me change and stop doing it immediately. 

I started sobbing. I could have died. Just like that I could have died. I would have failed Bellie, failed my family, failed my mom, failed everyone that knew me. I promised when I ran out of the house that I would survive for them. But almost like that I nearly died. Not to any dangers like something killing me but a loose metal shard. I let out a bitter laugh that soon turned into another sob. After a while I got up and started to calm myself down by thinking happy thoughts. Happy thoughts. I dusted myself off and carefully stepped over the metal shard. One foot over, second foot ov-

My foot got caught on the metal shard and I came barreling to the ground. 

“Oh sh-” 

The floor was a lot harder than it looks. I felt my head split open. My skull too. I let out a startled gasp and an even bigger one as the metal shard sliced into my leg. My eyesight grew blurry and tears sprang into my eyes. I felt the sharp taste of blood in my mouth and I let out a painful cough. Thick blood spat out of my mouth. I felt a terrible pressure build up in my chest and I felt blood trickle out of my eyes. I felt myself fading away. My skin unforming and reforming. Mom said that when monsters die they become skinny and frail as their body starts turning to ash and fine dust. Half of it remains and the other half turns to dust and ash. I now know what the feeling is like. I knew that I was dying. I was dying and I failed them. I didn’t die by the meal shard but instead I just died by tripping on it and cracking my skull open. I let out a strange sob. I think it’s because my throat was filled with blood. The strange smell of ash filled my nostrils. Then darkness filled my vision. The blackness that filled my heart to the very core with fear. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Chapter 7

An unusual morning…?

  
  
  


I made my way towards the castle door. After waiting a bit I knocked on the door.

“Melya… You there?”

I heard someone on the other side settle down.

“Yes. I am here.”

“Sorry for not talking to you in a long time. I was training Penny.”   
“Is he okay? Did he do well?”

“He did fine. He gave the outpost in the woods a name.”

“Let me guess. The frozen fortress?”

I paused for a moment. That was a name that I thought he would think of.

“Close but no cigar. He called it the Frozen Outpost! Such a cool name right?”

“Yeah.” Melya responded, a wishful tone in her voice. 

“So. Am I annoying the fur off of you yet?”   
Meyla let out a small chuckle.

“That was bad even for you.”

I smiled. Gotcha.

“Yeah, my puns are getting bad recently, bad to the bone.”

Meyla started giggling uncontrollably.

“Oh come on now, my puns still have a ton of work put into them, a skele-ton.” 

“Your just really good at making food, bone, and dog puns.” Melya stated.

“Hey,” I jokingly  yelled. “eggs puns too.”

“Oh yes. Those too.” Melya said flatly. Just last week I've been using them nonstop.

We chatted a little while longer before she said that Remsi was calling her over. 

“Goodbye queen fluffy tail.”

“Goodbye Antimatter.”

We both chuckled at our own terrible jokes before I heard her walk off. I let out a sigh and slowly got up and walked over to my sentry station. Won’t be long now before Connor appeared to check if I have fallen asleep. But when I neared it, I saw him waiting impatiently in front of it.

“Oh boy.” I said to myself. I tensed up, ready to start making loads of puns.

_ “ANTI! Where are you?” _

I guess he hasn’t seen me yet. Welp, can’t let that moment go to waste. I teleported right next to Connor.

“Right here bro.” I tell him casually. Connor looked a little surprised but then went back to his serious nothing can surprise me face.

_ “There you are! At least you weren’t sleeping again. Where were you anyway?” _

“Oh… Just visiting a few old places and making sure everything is alright.”

My brother raised his eyebrow but didn’t push the subject further.

“How’s the training going?”

_ “It’s going splendid! I think I am doing great! I can see it now. Connor, third in command of the Royal Army. Dad would be so proud. So would mom.” _

I cocked my head a little when he mentioned dad. Maybe he is making friends with him again? It’s not my position to keep pushing the subject. 

“Speaking of dad he won first place at the science fair.”

_ “Send him my regards.” _

Or not.

“He has a surprise coming home with him in two days.”

_ “Do you think its cake?” _

My brother sounded disappointed. I thought at least this would cheer him up a little when it comes to family. I guess not.

“I don’t know. Maybe its cupcakes?”

My brother shook his head.

_ “Always the optimist aren't you?” _

“Who, me? That is not true on so many levels.”

Me being optimistic. Yeah. That would be the day. As it is said we judges are a stickler for not changing. 

_ “Well i’m going to go off on my rounds and see if my traps have been set. Can you at least spend less time on break if your not gonna set up your puzzles?” _

“Sure thing bro. I will decide which one.”   
_ “And please none of your usual stuff.” _

My brother warned me, giving me a look. I sighed.

“Alright then bro.”

Soon he was out of sight. Off to do his rounds. I think I'm gonna set up my puzzles for once and surprise him real good. I am getting way too lazy for my job. After some organization of my sentry station I went to the one next to Nick. Nick was asleep of course but woke up after I settled down.

“Hello Anti. I see that your chilled to the bone.”

Me and Nick laughed at the bad pun. I fell down while coming here and got a lot of snow in my eye sockets. I brighten up my eyes to melt them. 

“I guess you could say that I have real n-ice problem that I've gotten myself into.”

We both hit our stand up comedian pose and then laughed again. Who says that monsters can’t have fun? I let out another chuckle then checked the time.

….

My watch died. I let out a bitter sigh. 

“How long do you think we have to wait until another human falls down?”

I stopped what I was doing and sighed. I watched my frosty breath for a couple of moments then shrugged. I don’t know. Do I even care?

**Of course you care. We have a purpose ya know.**

Yeah, I know Doggo. I know. 

“Guess you could say I have a real n-ice problem that I’ve gotten myself into.”

Me and Nick both did our stand up comedian poses and laughed at the bad pun. 

“We deserve more credit for our jokes.” Nick stated.

“Yeah.”

I looked down to check the time… Only to learn that my watch was dead.    
“Oh great.” I muttered and went to go and get a battery watch from my station.

“When do you think a human will fall down?” Nick asked suddenly.

I stopped what I was doing and let out a sigh and watched my frosty breath for a few moments. 

“I hope soon. The experiments aren't helping with anything Nick. I doubt our freedom can be earned any other way.”

Nick nodded once. I smelled something in the air. I couldn’t tell what it was. I felt a strange sensation in my body. 

You feel that too? Right?

**Yeah but I have no idea what it is.**

Probably nothing. I don’t hear any cries or alarms or anything. I’m gonna assume it’s something new in the pills.

**Your most likely right.**

“So Nick,” I say, reaching down inside my stations drawer and pulling out the batteries. “how badly did Vengo cause you trouble?”

Nick let out a moan and rest his head back on his station.

“You have no idea.”

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Chapter 8

The girl isn’t out of it yet

  
  
  


I woke up with a startled gasp. I looked around and then blinked my eyes a couple of times to get tears out of them. Where was I? I looked around. I was back in the room I was in before. The very first one. Was this some kind of dream? What the hell had just happen. I looked around and noticed that my flashlight was missing. I looked around and then felt my head. It wasn’t broken or cracked open. No signs of blood was there. I looked down at my leg too. Nothing. 

I started tracing my steps back into the room with the hanging metal shard. Everything was the same. My flashlight was where it was before. When I shined my light into the room I saw the metal shard hanging from the ceiling, not crashed down like I expected it to be. Did I just have a dream about my death? If that’s the case why show me it? I can now change it. I carefully walked into the room, making sure that I make little sound as possible and veering to the right wall. I felt my feet touch something cold and metallic. I quickly withdrew my foot and nearly let out a yelp. I muffled it just in time but the sound was still a little too loud. The metal shard made that noise again but didn’t fall and crash into the ground. 

That’s good. That’s really good. So small noises I can get away with… Even though I wasn’t really being that quiet when I was “sneaking” in. I decided not to risk walking underneath it though, just to be safe. I took another step forward onto the metal floor that seemed to outline this wall. That was a mistake.

“Ahh!” I cried out, not helping myself as a terrible pain stabbed through my right foot. I hobbled backwards and tripped and fell. I landed with a thump and nearly thought that I had cracked my skull open again. That was not the case though. I felt warm blood gushing out of my right foot. I looked at it. A big red hole was in the middle of it. I felt tears spring into my eyes and I started sobbing. That’s when I saw a big shadow come across my body. I didn’t even have time to scream. I just looked up in time to see the metal shard’s big triangular point crashing down and smashing into my left eye. Darkness rushed in instantly and then the feeling of my body giving up that soon followed. The darkness that made me terrified to no end. That’s what I could see, feel, and hear. Nothing… Nothing but the dark.

  
  


….

I let out another startled gasp that sounded more like a sob and woke up again. I looked around, my eyes full of tears. I was back in the first room. I didn’t have my flashlight with me or anything. They can’t be dreams… right? They felt all too surreal. The feeling of me dying and the… I gulped. The terrifying darkness that followed. It was too much for me. I hugged my knees and started crying hysterically. I couldn’t stop no matter how much I tried. I didn’t want to risk dying. I pinched myself but that didn’t work. I was dimly aware of my eyes glowing up and lighting up the place like a jack-o-lantern. It was such a small and unimportant act of magic that I just considered it instinct.

“I don’t want to do this. I don’t want to do this.” 

That wasn’t helping at all. I could clearly remember the fear and the pain. First the pain in my right foot getting pierced on something sharp and then the pain and fear of the metal shard stabbing my left eye and the feeling of my entire left side of my skull getting crushed. The feeling of it fading away into ash and dust. At least it was quick. Not like that matters.

What calmed me down in the end is that I am still alive. That means that I can use what I learned from last time and continue making my way towards Bellie and mom and the miners. I quickly shut down any other thoughts like what if the next room is just as dangerous or even worse. That thought still nagged at me as I made my way back to the room. An idea hit me. What if I made a lot of noise while I was in the doorway and cause the metal shard to fall then walk around it.

“HEY! YOU BIG STUPID PIECE OF METAL! WHY DON’T YOU FALL DOWN AND STAY THERE!”

The loud terrible noise of the metal shard come crashing down to the floor made my ears ring. I stumbled blindly as my vision became foggy but it soon passed. Making sure I don’t step anywhere near the metal shard or the walls I made it up some stairs on the other side. The stairs had some ragged purple carpet on them. I was careful to avoid a few loose nails as I made my way up the stairs. I was never allowed to be on the stairs alone since I cut my head badly and nearly died when I was going down the stairs last. I could easily die on stairs. 

I noticed something on the wall on top of the stairs. It was a lever. I flicked it. A sudden clicking noise and then a brilliant flash of light followed. I winced and covered my eyes. After a while I opened my eyes. The room I was in was lit up. I could clearly see what the metal shard was a part of. It was a strange looking chandelier. Pretty looking diamond shaped lights connect to chains were tangled with the lower part and held it up. I now saw what stabbed my foot. Both sides of the walls were lined with spikes. Why did they activate when I placed my foot back on it? I didn’t understand that part but now I am finally passed it. I continued walking through a hallway that was on top of the stairway I was on. Even though I felt myself die two times I was still here. I will get back to my family.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Chapter 9

A broken ruins

  
  
  


I sat down sobbing and crying non stop. I had died five more times. It was painful. I was walking when I noticed the ground was purple and granite looking instead of the yellow cracked floor full of cracks and sometimes even holes. I put one foot on it to see if it would break. It didn’t. I went forward, not trusting if the other ones would break. That’s when the one below me gave away and with a scream I plummeted to my death. But that wasn’t the worst part about it. At the very bottom there were large sharp metal spikes. I got impaled by three of them and my skull was cracked open from the fall. I have never felt that much pain before. I didn’t die right away either. I stayed awake long enough to feel my body give away. 

Next time I chose another one. It gave away too. I tried another two times and died but on the last on I finally managed to jump across fast enough to avoid falling. 

“Yes!” I yelled out and started jumping and celebrating. I was no longer gonna d ie on that trap! I let out a sigh of relief and started walking forward… and fell down into another pit. This one was a longer fall. I had time to scream my lungs out… well I don’t have lungs for some reason yet I can still breath, before getting impaled once through the chest and the other through my right eye. That death lasted the longest. Then the darkness came.

Now I was here. For some reason I didn’t wake up in the first room but instead in the middle of the two traps. What I was crying about was the entire floor until the next room was entirely filled with that pit trap tile. I could do nothing but sit there and cry. I remembered briefly that there was another room I could have entered near the beginning but I was too scared to even consider going back to it. It must have been another ten minutes of me crying when I heard a click. I looked up surprised as a wooden bridge formed over the tiles. I hugged the wall as it went past me and landed on the other side. Then the sound of someone humming a song soon entered the room. A very large light pinkish purple colored dog with large ears and carrying a basket in her jaws entered the room. Her eyes were closed as she perfectly walked across the bridge. She stopped halfway and opened one eye and looked at me. Then she let out a gasp and came rushing over. Her eyes were weird. They were a purplish pink and looked somewhat like a fly eyes. A pale pink pupil was in the middle of the large eye. I whimpered and hugged the wall even tighter. I thought of standing up and running but the thought of me losing my balance and falling into the pit was scarier than the large dog. The dog stopped in front of me and then gently placed the basket down. The smell of something delicious was seeping from the basket but I was too afraid to even care.

“Hello there. Are you alright child? You are crying? What’s wrong?”

The dog spoke. It spoke in words that I understood. I saw a caring look in its eyes and somehow knew this dog wouldn’t attack me. I decided not to tell her about my strange ability to die and come back. Unless that was a dream.

“I-i… I can’t get past this trap.”

The dog took a step back then pointed at a little button on a wall that I entered the room in. 

“Why child, that would have disarmed the trap and call in the bridge.”

Of course I didn’t see that. Of course I went through all that pain and terror to only learn that with a simple press of a button a bridge would have gotten me to safety.

“Oh…” That was the only thing I could say. I’m such a dumb stupid girl. 

“May I ask where did you come from? I never saw a girl like you before. And I only know three other monster humans.”

Monster humans? Oh. That must be what I am. If I could find them I could maybe learn about myself.

“And those horns are the same as the Queen Mary and King Darrel.”

Horns? Oh, my horns! I had two small brown horns growing on my head. They blended in with my hair color so I never paid them much interest. Besides, mom said they were never gonna grow big.

“They do? Um… I don’t know who those two people are?”

That was a mistake. The dog looked at me weirdly. 

“Maybe you recognize me? Though I don’t consider myself a queen anymore.”

I shook my head. If I want to get someone to trust me I might as well be honest with them.

“Oh. Then I am confused? Oh well, it’s not my place to question you. May I ask where did you come from? The Golden city’s gate has been locked for more than eleven centuries.” 

That must be the name of this place.

“Through a tunnel in a mine.”

The dogs expression went from caring to concern quickly.

“You must have hit your hea d hard! Oh no. Come to my house and there I can help you. Do you know your mother’s number?”

“201-466-8204”

Another weird look.

“That’s a human number. We have different numbers.”

Then to herself added, “She must have hit her head hard.”   
“N-no. That’s my mom’s number. She is a human…Wait.”

The way she said humans like they were entirely a different… Wait. She is a large weird looking talking dog… Is she a monster? She beat me to asking a question first though.

“Are you saying that your from outside here?” She asked in a surprised manner. 

“Uh… Yeah. What or where is here?” I asked. I didn’t know anything.

“Well… your in the land of the monsters, Barry’s Pocket.”

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Chapter 10

She found the monsters

  
  
  
  


So I did find the monsters. They were in that small black box. I wanted to tell Bellie that I did it. I found them, but I don’t think she we’ll be able to hear me. Not to mention that will be sound weird to the monster dog in front of me.

“I didn’t know that monsters lived on the surface. There are no records of it… I am gonna need to do some research. In the meantime, I will give you a cell phone. Call me if you need me.”

The dog monster started to walk away. No. I just met one of my own kind. I can’t just let her walk away. Plus what if I get stuck on another trap?

“Wait, what’s your name?” I cried after her. She stopped and turned around to face me.

“Maylachew. What is yours darling?”

I didn’t know what the darling was about but she somehow looked a little more scary while saying that.

“Mine is Anjelica. Nice to meet you.”

Maylachew nodded once and then started walking away again. She stopped before she was out of sight and gave me a warm look before leaving. I let out a sigh and got up and walked the way she came from. The room was lit up by some lanterns hanging on the wall. I thought of taking one but once I got close I stopped and realized how big they were. I turned off my flashlight and started walking forward, my eyes watching for any traps or buttons. I noticed a big shiny silver lever at the end of the hallway and quickly approached it. There was some writing beside it in the same language from before. It was in black and a little bit smeared but I don’t think that would have mattered. I quickly pulled it. Boy was it heavy. It took a great deal of pulling to get it to go. Just when I did it and fell on my bum from the difficulty I heard my new cell phone ring. I got up and brushed myself off then answered the phone.

“Yes?” I said in a polite tone. 

“You can’t read monster writing can you? When you see a big silver lever up ahead do not push it down.”   
I swallowed nervously.

“Why?” I asked. I never got an answer from her. I learned the hard way. A door shut behind me and then in front of me. I yelped and dropped the cell phone. The door was not the golden sand like color. It was silver. It looked entirely made of metal and looked very solid. I didn’t even get time to do anything when a hatch opened up on the roof above me and in a flash of silver I felt a strange feeling on my forehead. I winced in pain then I realized what had just happened. My mind went blank and I felt my legs weaken. 

“Uh oh.” I say, falling right down on my face, but not flat on my face. That is due to the axe that was embedded into it. I felt blood trickling out of the crack in my head and out of my mouth. It even came out of my nose.

“Darling? Child? Are you okay?”

I didn’t answer. Everything was fading. Soon the blackness would come. The blackness that threatened to take over everything.

  
  
  


….

  
  
  


I woke up in the room with the lever. What had just happened? No… I know what happened. That lever opened up a hatch that had an axe which that hit me in the head. I started crying again. I am so weak. I am crying non stop. Well I am dying. If I was dying then I would be-

A terrible pain filled my head and I screamed in pain. It was a sudden agony. I have never been in this much pain. After about a minute of me moaning in pain it suddenly died away. I let out a hiss and got back up again. I noticed that my eyesight was a little bit blurry. I first blinked to clear it up and then brighten my eyes to make sure it doesn’t happen again. I got up and sighed again. The blackness… the darkness that overcame me. I can’t go back there again. I can’t. I must nev-

The cell phone started ringing.

“He-hello?” I answered. 

“Darling! Are you alright? Is something wrong?”

I didn’t know what to tell her. I died by a trap then came back to life? Unless this is still a dream.

Then a dark thought hit my mind. Am I in hell? Could I have died and for some reason went to hell? I didn’t want to believe it but what other explanation was there? 

“Do you need help?” 

Maylachew’s voice was really concerned and worried now.

“No. I’m fine. Just thought about my family.”

“Ah. Okay child. I called you to warn you about pressing a large metal lever that you should co-”

“Yes?” I replied, wanting to know about the cause of my dea th last time.

“Did I tell you this before? I felt like I have.”

I paused. Did she remember what had happened? Were those dreams… not dreams?

“Anyway just don’t pull it. I don’t think you can read monster language yet but if you can it would say right by it do not pull. Anyway, that is all for now. See you at my house hopefully.”

Then she hung up. I don’t think she remembers. Well, not fully anyway. That does mean that these dreams aren't dreams. I was dying and somehow coming back to life.   
I shook my head slightly and curled a strand of my hair. I can think of what is happening later. Right now I need to progress forward. I continued walking past the lever that sealed my fate last time and on into the next room. The next room had strange paintings of two dogs sitting together watching the sunset. They were black as black could be. One of the had a large red glowing eye while the other one had a large white glowing eye. Their mouths were opened a little bit but enough to reveal large red fangs for the one with the red eye and large white fangs for the other one. They seemed to be lost in thought as they stared at the sunset. 

I let out a chuckle. Silly me, paintings can’t show emotions. Not that well anyway. I walked past them all and just when I reached the end of the hallway I noticed a large picture above the door. It was outlined with gold. The picture had a large lizard-looking dinosaur sitting on top of a desk. It looked so creepy. First of all, I might not be a dinosaur expert but I don’t think that they have large red piercing cat eyes with red liquid dripping out of them. It had yellow fangs and a yellow stripe could be seen on its neck but because it was only showing the head and neck I didn’t get to see it in full detail. A large spiked black tail was settled in between the claws of the beast. The claws were black with a red tip. In the background I saw through a blurry window a red shape. A phrase was on the bottom of the painting written in both human language and monster language.

**Don’t Forget I Am Still Here**

  
  


I looked at it once more and shuddered but then walked into the next room. Something about that filled me with dread. I wondered when I will reach Maylachew’s house. Is it far away? If so how far away is it? These hallways are starting to look more and more the same now. I was about to reach the end of this hallway that ended with a large purple door cracked open when I saw a shadow run past it. I stiffened a cry and took a step back. What was that? Was it Maylachew? Or is it another monster? Maybe it’s a human?! I don’t think so though. The traps in here seemed very deadly. But it’s good to hold onto some hope. That’s what Bellie always said. I walked through the door. A smaller dog than Maylachew sat down on a strange looking pedestal. When I came closer its ear twitched and it turned around. This one had dark purple eyes in black empty eye sockets. Just like me. The dog was black with patches of purple fur running down its back. It had large pointy ears and sharp but small white fangs.

“Oh. Hello there. I never saw you before? Who are you?”

Of course the dog can talk. I thought for a moment that maybe all the monsters here are dogs but then I remembered what Maylachew said about three other human monsters like me living in here. Well, she didn’t say in this place but she did say that they were alive. Why do I get myself down?    
“Oh. Hi, my name is Annie. What is yours?” 

I even gave a polite smile. If I wanted to make friends then I have to start like how I did with Bellie.

  
  


….

  
  


I heard a knock on the door. Mom got up and quickly looked at the door then at me with a panicked expression.

“Quick! Hide your face and hands.”

I quickly grabbed my sunglasses and put on my scarf and a hat then put on some black gloves. I wondered who would disturb mom, especially when she is in the middle of teaching me how to cook, and at this hour. It was 11:35 AM for crying out loud. I also grabbed my flashlight. It was so dark outside. I got up and walked behind my mother who was done hiding all the pictures of me. 

“Hello?” I heard a voice cry out from behind the door. She sounded young and sad.

“I am selling-”

The person broke off with the sound of horrible coughing. I looked at mom and she looked at me.

“We have to do something.” I pleaded. I looked back at the door.

“Can you please open the door and say something. I know people are at the front door.”  
My mom looked at me. The girl outside sounded sick. It was a cold and dark night outside. It also just started raining heavily outside. I pleaded once again with my eyes, even if they were covered by sunglasses.

My mom sighed and opened the door…

Chapter 12

The monster girl

  
  
  
  


I heard a click and the door opened. In front of me was a weary woman wearing a white Yankee shirt and black shorts. She looked tired but that’s not what worried me. She was white. I am not racist but after a hard five days of being called racial slurs and beaten sometimes by random people I have no reason not to be weary. This was a lot farther than I normally travel and is next to a village called the Mountains New Homes. It was a nice and cozy name. I took a swig of my black raspberry flavored water and choked on it. This was my last house… and most likely my last house ever. My parents don’t care about me otherwise they would have sent me to a nice town and not left me outside with little rations and a goal of collecting 500$ or never return home… ever…

I might as well end it while I have my way and choice of ending it. I showed the cart and carefully removed the carp a little to show the cookies and different flavored waters that I have left.

“W-what, what do you want?” I asked, my voice cracking and another horrible coughing fit overcoming me. I made sure to not cough on them or anywhere near the treats. I’ve been smacked too many times to do it ever again.

“Are you alright?” The woman asked. I perked up a little. This has to be the second house that has ever asked me that ever and the first ever white woman to not be racist towards me. But the day, I quickly looked up at the pitch black sky, the night is still young! Oh who am I kidding. It’s probably over midnight and I am gonna be sent away again.

“How much are they?” 

I perked up again at the new voice sounding a little British but was just as young as me. A girl wearing a heavy looking coat that was clearly too big for her and wearing black gloves and a hat and sunglasses. That was a little odd but it’s not like I care anyway.

“2.50 for a box of  sugar cookies, 3.50 for a box of everything cookies, 2.00 for butterscotch cookies, and 1.50 for flavored water sparkling drink.”

I grabbed a bottle and shook it a little to show the carbonation but after days and days of doing it I lost my amusement in it. 

“Can we get some mom?! Please!”

I couldn’t help but let out a mirror of laughter. She was just like me. I could have sworn though, that I saw a glint of glowing purple light coming from the sunglasses as she bounced up and down, begging her mom to get some. But it was only there for two seconds so I thought it was my fatigue. I was cold, damp, and wet and miserable. The mom was about to say something when I felt a strange feeling of being light headed and I let out a moan and fell onto the cold wet hard stairs, completely unconscious.

  
  
  


….

  
  
  


I expected to be outside or in a police station waiting to be sent back to my parents when I woke up. Instead I was i n a nice warm cozy bed. I got up an blinked of my sleep. It took me a moment to figure out what happened. They took me inside the house! This had to be the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me. I flicked on a nearby lamp only to find out that the lamp was dead. I reached in my pocket and pulled out my flashlight and looked around. I gasped when my light shone on the mother from before. She was asleep though, watching over me in a rocking chair. Medicine was on a counter next to her. She not only brought me inside but also nursed me back to health. I felt tears spring into my eyes. This was the nicest woman that I have ever met. I quietly walked past her. I wanted to explore the house… No. I wanted to get out of the house. I don’t deserve this kindness. I have done nothing for them. Outside the door was a nice looking hallway with a table and a yellow flower in a pot at the end. Behind me was a door wide opened that seemed to be a bathroom. I walked to the end of the hallway and saw the front door. My cart was next to it with my tarp and all the goods inside, not one touched. I felt sorry for leaving this family without even saying goodbye but I had to go. I grabbed my cart but before I could walk outside I saw a picture of someone hidden behind a shelf. I took it and thought it was me for a moment and that my savors might be stalkers or something when I recognized the hair and skin tone from before. It was the mothers daughter. I wondered why someone would hide that picture. Then I realized what was wrong with the girl. She was smiling happily and she looked like she was having a blast, but her smile and her eyes... First of all she had a mouth full of fangs which was not normal. Her eyes though. They were just empty eye sockets with a purple and light pink with somewhat black streaks spheres. I then noticed a short brown colored goat horn on her head, the same color as her hair. I was sure that if I hadn’t been great at noticing details that I would have missed it. I also noticed that her thumbs fingernail, which was showing in the selfie, was like a claw. 

“No wondered she wore that strange outfit.”

I whispered to myself. I don’t think this was a mistake or something. They looked to real to be photo shopped. Plus why would someone go through all that trouble just to make a funny picture. No wonder why this family lived up in the woods. If word got out that this woman was raising a girl who looked like that...

No. I will not tell anyone. They took care of me. It’s not my business. Not at all.

I suddenly heard the sound of something falling on the floor.

“Oh shit!” I heard a slight gasp following the curse word. Seems like the girl is up. I tracked down the noise into a bathroom on the other side of the living room. I peeked in. The girl was perched on the windowsill just looking out the window. I could see that she was still wearing that outfit from before. I could see in the reflection the same glowing purple eyes from the photo. It wasn’t photo shopped. I assumed she must have seen me in the reflection cause she let out a hiss and quickly spun around in surprise and then quickly turned around and put on the sunglasses and got off the windowsill. She hesitantly approached me and out one hand behind her back grabbing the other hand. I always thought people never did that except in cartoons.

“Oh. Hi there. We brought you in cause you were sick and you passed out.”

She seemed to be very nervous. If I was wrong then I would look like a fool but if I was right…

“Can I see?” I asked.

The girl jumped a little at my voice.

“See what?” She guilty asked.

I pointed at me eyes as a gesture.

“I don’t know what your talking about?” She was sweating now, and she was visibly stressed out. I narrowed my eyes and crossed my arms together. 

“I saw the picture.”

The girl let out a sigh and took off her sunglasses and lowered her scarf to show exactly what I had suspected. Her purple eyes looked extremely weary as they looked into mine. She looked at me as if she suspects me to do something.

She thinks that i’m gonna scream and run away. I’m not like that. I know how it’s like to be shunned for being different. I gave a friendly smile.

“What’s your name?”

The girl paused. 

“No one has ever asked me what my name is before. It’s Anjelica. What’s yours?” She asked back in a friendly matter. She must not have any friends I realized. 

“Bellie. My name is Bellie.”

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Chapter 12

Anti is my name

  
  
  


I was walking home when I heard a commotion in a nearby alleyway. I quickly stopped and checked it out. A skeleton was being kicked by a couple of monster rabbits.

“Come on and defend yourself like how you defended us before! Oh wait…”

I sucked my breath in. That was an extremely cruel thing to say. It’s been all these years and there still not over that? I cannot let this stand.

“HEY! BACK OFF!” I yelled at them. The rabbits turned. Five of them in total. One of them was as big as Sheyra and was also an adult. That must be the leader. He had a big curel grin on his face and his mouth was filled with sharpened teeth. He wore a black leather jacket and an orange shirt and black leather pants. His ears were ragged and torn and he had a long scar on his left cheek and his fingers ended in large claws. I felt my left eye act up again but I quickly put it back in place. Not yet. If I activate it too soon then my right eye would start hurting.

“Or else what human monster!”  The one with the green sweatshirt and grey fur yelled at me. 

“There is no reason to be racist here now. We’re all in this together.” I was a little nervous. I don’t know how much that serum helped.

“It’s also your fault that were in this mess! We’re gonna beat you up like this skeleton!”

My left eye activate by a sudden surge of anger. The alleyway was lit up by the pinkish purple glow.

** _“YOU WANNA TAKE THAT BACK BUDDY?”_ **

I smiled, showing my fangs. All of the rabbits backed up, even the leader looked a little freaked out.

_ “Hang on guys. I think I recognize hi-” _

The nervous sounding one wearing a striped black and white shirt and jeans was cut off as the adult bunny pointed at me and yelled out

**“Don’t just stand there! GET HIM!”**

I blinked in surprise as the skeleton seemed to be getting back up but then quickly focused on the rabbits as they charged at me. I dodged three of them as they tried to tackle me to the ground and instead just ended up in a tumble. I placed my hand on the ground and summoned magical bones underneath it. I commanded them to spring up out of the earth around the rabbits in the pile and turn light icy blue. The difference between blue colored attacks and icy light blue attacks is that the normal blue attacks make you slow but the icy light blue ones, if you move while they are on you, they will hurt you bad and make your magic casting slower until it can get healed. It took a lot to summon these so I try my best not to.

The rabbits in the pile gasped as the ground beneath them cracked then the icy light blue bones sprang and stabbed them. One of them tried to spring up but the bones were faster. One of them stabbed him in the shoulder and because he was moving it really did stab him. He yelled out in pain and a little blood started trickling from the wound. That officially put him out of the fight. I saw out of the corner of my eye a rabbit lunging at me. It was the green sweatshirt one. I dodged his punch and grabbed him by the collar and raised him up into the air despite him being at least twice my size. I looked him into his eyes and summoned a couple of sharpened bones next to me. After holding him there for a couple of more seconds I dropped him, hopping my point got through. I put my attention to the adult rabbit but he was already freeing the other two. I let out a hiss and summoned a couple of spears. They glowed and shimmered with their purple energy. They then fired at the big adult rabbit. It won’t kill him but it will definitely take him out of the fight. I felt a stinging pain slice across my neck and stumbled forward then quickly darted to the left to avoid green little flies. Fly sparks. The rabbit that I grabbed before w as summoning them. He clearly didn’t get the point that I will hurt him if he keeps this up. I gently touched the back of my neck and winced in pain then looked down at my hand. Blood was on it. I quickly pulled back and avoided a water sherikuan. It disappeared into the wall, turning into nothing but water. I focused on the rabbits to my left and to my surprise got uppercut in the gut by the adult rabbit. Tele-roll. Yep. That got me good. I landed on the wall and got picked up by my collar and then thrown onto the opposite wall. The big rabbit cracked his neck then his knuckles and approached me once more. I staggered up to my feet then tried to quickly dart away but I got grabbed by my foot and smashed twice into the wall then something stabbed me in the hip and I was kicked away and once again hit the other wall. I was slumped over, one hand on the wound on my left hip and the other on my right eye, which was bleeding.

**“JUST AS I THOUGHT! Your weak.”**

I let out a growl but there was nothing that I could do. The adult approached me and was about to punch me in the face when a purple bone shot out of the ground, its point sharpened, and impaled him in the wrist. The adult roared out in pain as the skeleton hobbled into view.

_ “Do anything else and I will end you all.” _

The skeletons eyes were pulsating purple and a red slit was in the middle of his purple rings. His right hand was glowing magenta and his face contorted by anger. The three rabbits looked at him. The nervous one from before backed up but the other two stepped forward, pulling out knives. The skeleton growled and then snapped his fingers. The entire alleyway on his side was now covered in floating sharpened purplish pink bones.

_ “Do I need to repeat myself?” _

“SHUT UP!”  The green sweatshirt one yelled and charged at the skeleton. The skeleton pointed at the rabbit and the bones went in groups, firing at the rabbit who was now stopping and crouching down. He dodged the first three groups of bones but the fourth one got him. Three bones, one through his left leg, one through the chest, and one through his right shoulder. They pinned him to the wall. For a second I thought that would kill the rabbit but he was still alive. The adult rabbit from before pulled his wrist out of the bones with a yell then tele-rolled right behind the skeleton. He smiled grimly as the skeleton looked to where he just was, confused. It was one swift punch. Just one. 

The skeleton cried out in pain and fell to the ground, a chunk of his skull taken out of his head.

“KID!” I yelled then started coughing up blood. I got this serum to protect…  _ what good am I if I can’t protect? I am useless than. I am a nobody who has no purpose. I am a failure… _

My right eye stopped bleeding.

I felt a warm feeling spread throughout my body. I looked up at the two rabbits who were approaching me. Three. The one that I got from before got healed. My left eye grew brighter. 

** _“LEAVE HIM ALONE!”_ **

I think I teleported. I just suddenly appeared behind them. I didn’t even think 

about that for a moment. I just stabbed the nervous one in the gut with a spear and then tossed him over my shoulder.

** _“OR DIE.”_ **

The other two looked at each other than attacked me. I dodged their attacks and summoned three spears. I thrusted one forward and it hit a rabbit in the chest. She grunted in pain then looked up in fear as the other two spears came rushing down. The other one summoned his own spear and stabbed the ground with it. A force field formed around them and the other two spears disbursed on impact. I heard a whooshing sound and looked up to see water shreikans raining from the sky. I quickly dodged them and then dodged a spear thrust which I countered with a bone bursting from the ground and ramming into the rabbit. He was sent flying into the other one and they both went into tumbling on the ground. I smiled, victory in my sight. I was about to finish them off when I remembered the skeleton. I looked to where he was to see him getting lifted up against the wall by the throat, the sound of bones cracking audible and a fearful look on his face. The adult rabbit grinned with sharp pointed teeth. No… NO!

I teleported right on the back of the adult after summoning icy light blue bones around the rabbits from before.

“What! Get off of me freak.”

Instead of listening I bit down hard on his thick muscular neck. He yelled in agony as my fangs tore deep into his flesh. I felt some blood go into my mouth but I was too distracted to care.

“Get off of HIM!” I cried through a muffled voice. The rabbit stopped and then quickly spun around and rammed his back into the wall. I saw what he was doing and jumped off in time but this is what he wanted. In one quick slash of his claws he tore open my chest. Blood started pumping out of it and I felt blood come from my mouth. My left eye withered and then faded away as blood started coming from it. Blood pouring out of every hole on my face I fell to my knees, then on my face. The feeling of my body trying to reform but not being able to do it. I felt the taste of ash in my mouth.

  
  
  


….

The monster human, in a flash of white, dusted. Ash and fine powdered dust came settled on his jacket. His body wasn’t even there. That’s how badly he got hit. Sometimes if a monsters wounds were so deep they disappeared entirely, not leaving a body for their family and friends to bury. Just ash and dust… and in his case blood. I felt myself weaken and I curled up in a ball. Leather picked up the coat and then started laughing.

“See how easy it is to kill people Nick? HAHAHAHA! It’s so easy. Now… Where were we?”

Leather looked at the jacket and was about to throw it away when he looked back at it. His expression started to turn into one of pure terror.

“Leather? What is it?”  Belko said, pulling the last of my bone out of his body and approaching Leather, giving me a dark look while he does so.

“The kid we killed is Anti… the son of the leader of the scientist and close friends with the kings and queens… The most powerful monster that isn’t of royal standards...”  
They killed Anti! They are so dead now. Once his father finds out the entire royal army will be after them and they won’t be welcomed anywhere. The sentries will all come after them. They have nowhere to go. They’re screwed.

I laughed weakly, coughing up blood as I did so. All the rabbits started approaching me.

“You still lost. Game over.” 

I knew I was about to die but hey! At least I died seeing that look on their faces.

** _“HEY! FLUFFY RABID ASSHOLES! DON’T YOU KNOW THAT SLEEPING WITH A Z CHARM GIVES YOU EXTRA HEALTH AND ENDURANCE AS WELL AS BLOOD CLOTTING?!”_ **

I looked at the person. It was Anti. He was alive! He was also pissed. His left eye was empty and gushing out blood. Blood was pouring out of his mouth. Despite this he was smiling creepily, his fangs seeming to be longer and sharper than before. His right eye… His right eye had a large glowing sphere in it. It was yellow and pinkish purple with a red slit in it. Next to him… Next to him was…

I gulped. What was that thing? It looked like a big dragon and dog skull . Patches of fur on its body, which was just a floating head with a long sharp tail. The word Doggo was written on both sides of its body. The thing had four eyes. They were glowing purple and red. It opened its mouth, revealing rows upon rows of shark and dog teeth. It roared a piercing loud angry sounding roar. Then a red and purple energy ball started forming in its mouth. It grew and grew.

Leather took a step back, terrified. The energy ball was now massive, more than half the size of the alleyway. Then Anti opened his right hand… Leather looked at him, pleading. Anti grinned wider, his right eye glowed brighter, and closed his fist. 

The sound of energy being fired was loud. It was like a sonic boom. It turned out to be a lazar. It fired and disintegrated Leather and Strap who was right behind Leather, holding on tightly to his arm. So much for being a tough guy. The thing closed its mouth then it looked at the other four rabbits. It then opened its mouth again, the lazar ball charging up again.

“Anti!” A voice cried.

Anti stopped and then made a small hand movement. The creature disappeared in an instant just as his dad came around the corner, his lab coat flying behind him. The rabbits quickly skedaddled out of there. Anti stumbled up to me and then sat down right next to me. His breathing was rough and ragged, his right eye fading to black.

“Hi.” He said to me.

“Hi.” I reply back, stunned and injured to really say anything else.

“My name is Anti? What’s yours?”

His dad and three sentries came running up to us.

“Nick. My name is Nick.”

  
  
  


….

  
  
  


“I think he is rightvoracious.” Tenotor perked up.

“Is it because of the thing he summoned during that fight?”

“No. It’s because his right eye was glowing during that time. I also think he still to this day talks to that creature. I hear him. I see the eyes of the creature sometimes.”

“My son called him Doggo?” 

“Yep.” I sighed and sat up on the operating table. “You say that until that day when you first gave him the pills that the thing he summoned wasn’t Doggo?”

Tenotor nodded and wrote some more notes down.

“I hope we can get to the bottom of these creatures.” Tenotor said, getting up.

“You could always ask him.” I pointed out. Tenotor sighed. 

“I don’t know if I have the right too.”

Chapter 13

A vague color

  
  
  


I woke up to my daughters again. What else is new.

“Jacob! Wake up already! We need to get going on our runs!”

I let out a luxurious yawn and shook off my drowsiness. Of course it didn’t work.

“Alright alright. Molly you got me awake.” I say, pulling back my muzzle as Molly began licking it, urging me to go.

“About time you finally woke up. I’ve been letting you rest by keeping Molly from waking you up for two hours! I was just about to let her go.”

“Yeah well, thank you Lucy.” I say, getting out of bed and following them out the door. “Who knows how energetic I will be without you?”  
Lucy snorted but made no comment on the fact of me telling her thank you for letting me be lazy. Once outside I sniffed the air and the smell of clear blue sparkling water. A few town folks were out and about and waved us a good morning. 

“You too.” I told them back. I shook myself once more and then went down to the river and started lapping up some water. I half expected Molly to push me into the water like she did last time I was this late but she didn’t. I did give her a scolding last time but I don’t think she ever listens. I looked up after I got my fill and saw Molly slipping into the tall grass and Lucy stopping just before entering it.

“We’re gonna start without you if your okay with that. Are you?”

“Sure. I’m gonna be awhile anyway and i’ll just slow you down.”

“Love you Jacob!”  Lucy cried out to me before entering the tall grass.

“Love you too.” I whispered back, knowing that neither Molly or Lucy will hear me if I still said it outloud. They were gone so fast. I always felt like a burden on them. I was the pack leader but that doesn’t count for much now does it? I’m way too old for this job as it seems.I sighed and watched the river go into a waterfall down into the large gaping crater. No one could see the bottom from up here. Down there was just a couple of nice little flowers anyway. After a while of staring I got up and walked towards my post. Teleporting took exercise out of the picture which I desperately need right now. I walked past an empty post that Nickey was suppose to be at. If I recall correctly he was talking to Tenotar, Anti’s father. I finally saw my post with a snoring Vengo right beside it in his. His ears twitched as I approached and his muzzle wrinkled up as he opened one eye.

“Do you smell that?”  He asked me as I settled down inside the station.

“Is this a mean joke or are you being serious?” I asked him.

“I’m being real here, Jacob has been beaten by ME! Can you believe it?”

I let out an amused bark then took out my lucky rock. It was a black rock with strange glowing stripes running through it.

“No but really, I smell something a little off today. It’s not you or a monster. I just can’t identify it at all.”

I sniffed the air.

“Everything smells fine Vengo.” I told him.

Vengo sniffed once more then went back to smoking a cigar.

“Must be a figment of my own imagination wanting to spice up this job.”

“I honestly think this job is great! We get to sit back and relax and just keep an eye out for anything unusual all while enjoying the scenery.”

I placed my rock back into my sentry desk and then pulled out a notebook and a pen.

“Sure you don’t want me to do it? I have thumbs.”

“If Hellie wants it a little more legible she will have to take it up with Anti.” I then grabbed my pen and opened the book. I doubt that anything unusual is going to happen but still. It’s always good to be safe than sorry. After thinking for a moment, I decided to write down that Vengo smelled something strange. You never know but that might be something of vital importance. 

  
  
  


….

  
  
  


I saw several times Molly walk past me. She spoke with me the second time and asked how I was doing? I was doing great and then I asked her how have her traps been. I wanted to know if they have caught a human yet. Sadly she said no. I hope one comes soon. Its been awhile since we have had any fun. Well, since they have had that kind of fun in awhile. I knew what must be done. I waited every time at the end of the Caverns Blue Light but all the humans have been killed by Sheyra and Hellien… All except one which I did kill. That was with my time as a judge though. I did my best to get those thoughts out of my head. I’m sure Anti would have said something by now. Speaking of Anti I saw him walk past here not too long ago. He was carrying an apple and tossing it up and down in the air. He waved hello at me and Vengo, who by now was entirely passed out, then continued walking. I always wondered what giving a monster human human power would do. Anti is the end result. I can’t understand how he could still love his father even after all the changes that has happened to him. The monster’s nearly a skeleton for crying out loud! But I dared not ask him since he is my boss after all. I once thought that maybe Anti has painted the black stains under his eyes to hide his tears. That was when I first met him. But nope, those stains were just from the pills. 

  
  
  


….

  
  
  


Nothing once again. Vengo has left twice to take a break and now he has left because it’s time for him to change sentry station. I don’t do that until another hour. A member of the Royal Army walked past me and we exchanged a couple of words, then he left. I saw Sheyra at watch on a tall mountain but eventually she left. I saw Connor and Hellien train together and Hellien coming back to check in on Vengo since he was apparently sick and the doctor wanted to make sure he was feeling alright.

“Don’t know why she would check up on me I’m feeling fine.”

I checked my watch and got up. Time to change sentry posts. I got up and walked back home to get some more bone-gars. I stopped just outside. Sheyra was sitting at the edge of the waterfall, her back turned towards me as she started at the hole below. Her large spear strapped to her back and her makeshift eye patch and scarf swinging in the wind. 

Uh oh. She only wore that if she was sad or had something on her mind. I walked up to her and sat down beside her, looking at the hole. It brings tranquility and peace into my mind.    
**“Do you think that sometimes sitting down here on an ever lasting vigilance for humans is useless? We’ve been trapped here for too many years that I think I have forgotten what kind of hope we have left.”**

I sighed. That was exactly how I felt.

“We’re in an endless cycle that we pretend to be strong in the faces of others so that they can have hope. No matter how long we wait the only thing that seems to come out of it is a human that we have to kill. But not even then is getting their essence garentien been as few have escaped.”

We both just sat there for what must have been ten minutes.

**“I just want this nightmare to be done with. I’ve taken so many human lives… And all of them were just kids! They have no idea about the war. They looked at the story like no one has ever told them it before.”** **   
** “I know right. Color has no meaning when it seems like all it does is make a hopeless gape. What can I say,” I placed my tail on Sheyra’s back.

“a vague color is the only thing we have left to hope for. The color that can bring us all back.”

**“From what? Our prison? I hope so…”**

“It’s a volatile beauty isn’t it? The last thing we have left… a darkness hoping for light. We’re monsters, and I guess we have nothing left to give but give it our all. After all, if the others see nothing but that vague color, then we’ll all be in its shade forever.”

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Chapter 15

The grind

  
  
  


I watched the ruined door. Mayla called it a gate, but to me it looks more like a door. Humans normally come from out of there. I stared at it, my eyes disappearing. There didn’t seem to be any activity. No smell of cake that she makes for them or sounds of battle. Nor is there any signs of Queen Maya. Earlier I caught Chewawua looking at the door, a hopeful look on his face even though he knew that Mayla would never come out. Now I stood there, hoping for what? The hope that a human would come out so I can finally do my job. What a dark morbid reason to stand next to a large door that used to tell the tale of us humans and monsters living together. 

I must have been standing there for twenty minutes, just waiting and watching. 

**“I don’t think anyone is coming.”**

I sighed and put my hands out of my pockets.

“I know Doggo, I know.”

A spark came and snuggled with me, letting out a small chirping noise. I started scratching it under its chin. 

“But we do have really nothing else to do but wait.”

Doggo let out a laugh, floating into view, his eyes studying the door. After a while I mustered up my will to talk to the queens. I knocked on the door and waited. I waited for six minutes and then Doggo knocked, his large skeletal hand making a much louder noise.

After another two minutes I started to get up when I heard footsteps behind the door.

“Hello? Who is there?”

“Anti.”

“Oh, Anti. I di-”

“Aren't you suppose to ask Anti who?”

Queen Mary let out a little giggle.

“Alright. Anti who?”

“Anti-depressent monster coming here to give you a lot of bad jokes and puns.”   
“It has been thirteen years since you have used that one.”

“Yeah, we’ve been in here for a long long long long time. Though I haven’t been in here for as long as you which was a long long long long long long long long time ago.”

“Are you calling me old?”

I smiled.

“Who me? Young little me? No, never little old you.”

“Your a cheeky little ass you know that.”   
I let out a bark of a laugh.

“I’m a human monster. I have a really small ass. I am more or less a skeleton.” It was true. I am more skeletal than human.

“Oh… Well that’s unfortunate.”   
**Wait? What did she just say?**

I knew what she had just said though. I knew what she had just said exactly.

“MAYA! WHAT THE HELL!”

Maya started laughing her head off as I put on my fur hood.

“There goes your train of pun making thoughts for a while.”

“And my pride.” I growled. After a while Maya and I stopped laughing. I was trying to think of what to say next when Maya asked me something.

“Anti, I have a question for you.”   
“Yeah?”

“I know what they have made you become. The tests that they have done on you. I know what they are for.”

I remained unresponsive. I didn’t know what to say or what to feel.

“It’s to kill humans and monsters who have gorged themselves on the human ennsances that the kings have collected. I’ve seen the file Anti. Is it true?”

I remained silent. I knew for quite some time that I was made to kill humans. I’ve just never have been in a situation where I have to.

“I already know the answer. So please, can you promise me this? No matter where the human is try your best to resist the urge to kill them. If the humans are here or they just left outside please do not harm them. Can you do that for an old old old old old old old old old old”

**She is using your own joke against you. Damn that’s something hard to resist.**

Oh be quite.

“old old old lady? Will you please do it for me and Mayla?”

I remained silent for quite some time. What was I suppose to do. After a while I decided to answer her.

“I, I'll try my best Maya. I promise to do what you said. No tricks or my usual stuff. I promise.”

**We’re gonna regret this later.**

I know.

“Thank you Anti. Thank you. I have to get going now. Mayla has some interesting news to tell me. Something about a monster girl.”

“Tell her I said hi.”

“The girl or Mayla?”

I paused to make it seem like I was really deciding. 

“The girl of course. How else am I gonna get her number?”  
We both burst out in laughter for another minute.

“Well, tell Mayla that I said hi. I am gonna go and go into the city. Talk with ya later Maya.”  
Once I was quite some distance away I put on my fur hood. What did I just get myself into? I have now made a really really big mess for myself. And how come that strange smell from before is coming from within the ruins? Beats me but I don’t care. Right now I just need to get my mind off the promise that I don’t think I’ll be able to keep.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Chapter 16

A strange unlucky dog

  
  
  
  


The dog cocked his head and gave me a very friendly smile.

“I’m Lucky! You look a little bit confused. Say, where did you come from?”

The dog looked generally confused. I don’t know how another monster would react to the truth of where I'm from.

“I’m from out of Barry’s Pocket. I lived with the humans.”

The dog now just looked more confused.

“You messing with me?”  Lucky asked, raising his right eyebrow.

“Um no. It’s really true.”

“Well than. I guess I’m gonna have to teach you the ropes of how things work down here.”

A strange filter of black came over my vision and Lucky stood up.

“In this world humans and I guess in your case monsters who are more human than monsters will enter a fight that a strange black filter will appear over your eyes. That is normal. Now monster will most often attack you because of your predicament. In this case you will have to fight back.”

Three  strange purple floating barbs appeared in the air.

“Let’s first try dodging.”  Lucky said. The three barbs started coming towards me at a casual pace. When they became closer they started picking up speed. I dodged one and swiftly dodged the other one and then dodged the last one as well.

“Great! Now it is in monster tradition to let the human or in your case near human opponent take their turn. Do not always expect it to be this way. Monsters can just skip your turn and attack. I recommend not trying this out yourself as your reputation for being a fair fighter or not will determine if monsters fight you fairly.”

This dog was actually being quite helpful. I kinda figured out by now that monsters do not like humans at all. I thought of what I co uld do while Lucky waited patiently, still smiling yet there was a weary look in his eyes. I decided to use some of my magic attacks. I concentrated hard and summoned three purple bones. I looked a Lucky and then sent them at the same pace as his barbs only just a tad bit faster. He quickly side stepped one and then dodged the other one with the same ease and for the last on just ducked over it.

Not so fast I thought. I reached out to the bones and told it to turn around and attack. The bone did so but Lucky saw it coming and quickly jumped out of the way. If all the monsters down here knew how to dodge like that then I am screwed. It takes up so much energy to use magic. I felt myself heat up.

“Not bad. I like what you did with the bone. That takes some magic.”

“Don’t worry,  Lucky said, catching my expression.  “not all monsters can dodge like I can. Most can’t. Now it is my turn. I’m gonna amp up the past so be ready.”

I crouched down and got ready to dodge. Five barbs started approaching me to the right side. I was in awe of how a dog could summon this must magic with ease. The barbs sped up and I quickly sprang out of the way. Five more appeared to the right side of me and then five to the left after I dodged those ones. They nearly hit me too. I just narrowly avoided those barbs when eight came speeding towards me. I could barely see them. I felt a horrible pain in my chest and felt myself dying. I fell to the floor, dying again. 

  
  


....

I woke up to see the eight barbs speeding towardsme again. I was stunned at what had just happened to even recognize the danger. They ripped right throughmy chest. I clutched my shirt and fell down once again,dead once again.

....

I woke up exactly as the eight barbs came speedingtowards me. Once again I was in shock and did nothingas they were about to hit me. That’s when they stoppedand vanished.

“Boy are you dumb. I killed you twice before and yetyour still standing still. How weak are you?”

What? I looked at Lucky who was smiling smugly atme, a weary and sad look in his eyes.

“In here monsters will kill you. But if I can get yourhuman essence I might be strong enough to makea stand and even get revenge on Mayla... But no.”

Lucky dog wrinkled his nose in disgust and hestarted growling.

“You had to be a resetter kid. You even stole mypowers of controlling it. Now how am I gonna helphumans out. Your not even the type that can reset.Why do you have it?”

I had no idea of what the dog was talking about.Lucky looked at me, hatred glinting in his eyes and witha quick flick of his ears three purple barbs pierced mein the chest. I let out an agonized yell and fell on allfours. One of my hands went to my chest and feltaround for the barbs but they were gone. The woundthey left behind though was still there and the feelingof warm blood was on my hand. I knew I was one hitaway from dying.

“That nearly killed you! Damn. Just how weak areyou girl? Since you just put a kink in my plans I’mjust gonna have to play with you instead. Do youget what I’m saying Ann?”

Lucky dog stepped forward until he was right infront of me then leaned down and whispered in my ear,

“I’m gonna torture you and kill you and make yourlife here hell until you give up and the resettingpower goes back to me. We’re gonna have a GreatTime.”

Lucky dog let out a loud laugh and then walked intothe shadows of the room, melting away as if he wasmade of shadows. I was beginning to pass out. Justbefore my eyes closed I heard footsteps of someoneapproaching.

Chapter 17

A new monster

I woke up on a nice pile of leaves. I yawned andstretched out my arms and legs. Then I got up andlooked around. I was in a strange orange red room. In aflash I remembered what had just happened.

“What! Where am I? Hello?”

I was now panicking but at least I have a goodreason. The second monster that I have meant attackedme and killed me twice and nearly killed me a thirdtime. It also was completely aware that I was comingback to life. He called what I was doing resets. I guessthat made sense since I guess I was resetting time to goback to before I die. I looked around to see if he is stillaround me only to remember he left. So who saved me.Maybe this is Maylachew’s house? I kinda expectedmore from her than an orange red room with a pile ofcozy leaves. The leaves might be cozy but they are stilljust leaves. I then noticed a big hole in the wall. I lookedat myself and noticed that I was healed. That was great!I wondered who would have healed me and then

thought of Maylachew. The looked at the big hole ingreater detail. It was very big. Taller than me and itlooked like something busted through the wall to makethis. That is what I didn’t like. The hole looks old butwho knows how long I have been sleeping for. Maybe awhile and something big came in an attackedMaylachew. Outside the hole was a large long hallway,the same color as the normal rooms that I was used toseeing. The golden sand color. I then rememberedsomething. The leaves! They were light blue with astrange black glow to them. The pile was also very verylarge. It also looked like something has slept on itrecently. Something very very large though, strangelyonly a large spot looked recently slept on besides mine.I decided to walk outside the hole and get out before Imeet whatever lived here. It was too late though. I washalfway through the hall when the noise of someone bigcame thudding down the hallway. It stopped in front ofme. In its jaws was a basket. It snaked its head up andlooked at me right in the eyes. I didn’t know what thehell this thing was?! It was brownish black with redrings around its neck and tail. It also had large wings onthe side of its body. It had a square muzzle and twosomewhat tiny ears. Its most scary feature was the twolarge glowing red and black eyes. They seemed to lookright through me. That’s when it hit me what thiscreature was. It was a dragon. It was a very largedragon. Well, some stories said that they were biggerthan some small mountains but this one was just bigenough that is wings were touching the ceiling of thehallway. It must be about twenty four feet high. Itlowered its neck and gently placed the basket down andthen put it behind itself.

“Your awake... I didn’t expect you to be. I’m sorrybut if you wish to leave then I will have to stopyou.”

Suddenly a black filter covered my eyes. Thedragon was now entirely black except for the red ringsand its eyes. It also had a red and purple outline thatseemed to be glowing. I was in a fight so soon afterbeing killed in one twice. I am in a fight against adragon. I am so screwed.

Chapter 18

Brown

The dragon stood there, just waiting and watchingme ominously. I then realized it was waiting for me togo first. I guess I have no choice but to fight. Isummoned a couple of bones and send them at thedragon. They... they passed through it like it wasnothing.

“Um. You do know that Monster Dragons areincorporeal and all that stuff. You really can’t hurtme at all.”

The dragon stomped the ground, causing it toshake a little and rock chunks sprang out and thenfloated in the air, a purple outline surrounding them.

“Give up now and go back inside the den or I willfight back.”

The dragon wanted me to go back inside the den?

Oh, it was the one that rescued me and most likelyhealed me back to full health as well. But I needed toget going. I had to go back home. No matter how muchrocks it throws at me.

“I have to keep on go-”  


A rock smashed right next to me. Maybe I shouldgo inside? No. I had to keep going. Lucky said that it’smy turn but he never said that I had to attack right?

Maybe I can talk.

“I need to get going. Please don’t stop me.”

The dragon seemed to pause for a moment andtake in what I had just said. Then it looked at me againand two rocks came barreling towards me. I yelped and

dodged one of them but the other one was bound to hitme. I covered my face with my arms and braced forimpact... Only I just felt stinging pain all over my body. Igot up and stumbled a little bit. I now realized what hadjust happened. The dragon doesn’t want me dead. Therock split into many different pieces and they cut me allover my body. The dragon waited again. I let out a sigh.

My turn.

“Why are you keeping me in the den? Can you tell mewhy?”

The dragon let out a sigh but didn’t answer, but tomy delight seemed to waver for a moment. Once moretwo rocks came crashing at me. Maybe I could deflectthem with my own attacks? I summon six bones andthey split up into two groups made of three bones each.

The first group destroyed rock number A but the otherrock split apart at the last second and the shards camespeeding towards me. I did a quick roll to my right and avoided them. The effort of summing that much bonesreally took a toll on me. The dragon seemed to take thisin and looked weary. Why was it so keen on not killingme or not even harming me that much.

“I want to know why your trying to keep me here. Canat least tell me that?”

“Will you shut up and go back inside the den if I do tell you?!”  The dragon snapped back.

I shook my head.

“I need to go on and get to my family. I’m sorry but I have to go forward.”

**“And what? Your gonna get yourself killed. G-dog will kill you. If I can tell your from the surface he definitely will without even seeing you first.”****  
** So he is afraid someone named G-dog is gonna kill me. Is G-dog here? I don’t have time to ask him though since it is his turn. I looked up at the rocks and planned a way of defending myself when I realized that he wasn’t attacking. He used his turn already or maybe he isn’t just attacking me anymore.

“Is G-dog in here? The Golden Ruins?”

The dragon looked away. One of the rocks came forward and a hole opened up in the middle. Then it began to start spinning faster and faster. A light source was emitting from within the rock. I quickly threw myself to the left and landed on the ground. In doing so I saved myself from what seemed to be a laser beam that the rock fired. The laser ended almost as quickly as it had begun and the rock turned into tiny black flakes. My turn.

“I’m gonna assume then that G-dog is outside the Golden Ruins. So if your so keen on protecting me why not protect me out there?”

**“He is stronger than me.”****  
** The dragon snaked its head up and he made a quick metallic sounding click. I used the last of my strength and made a bone wall. I knew what was coming next. A blast of purple and yellow flames went around me, lickering hunglierly at me as they went past. Soon the flames ended.

“Keeping me here is not gonna work either! All I want to do is get home and if that means facing G-dog then so be it.”

The dragon sighed then five more rocks came rushing at me. I tried to make a bone wall but only a tiny little purple bone appeared. I was too tired to make anymore. I braced for a crushing blow but none came. I opened one eye and saw that the rocks had all crashed around me. I thought I was safe when the little tiny pieces of rocks floated up and cut me once again. I let out a hiss of pain but still stood.

“The only way that your getting me to stop is to let me go.” I pointed out. The dragon started weavering. It looked around as if it were waiting for something . Maybe it was but this looked like more of a panicked look. It took in a deep shuddering breath and then eight rocks came at me again. I once again threw my arms up but they didn’t hit near me. Rock shards came at me again and this time cut me up pretty badly. Yet I still stood.

“I have to continue on. That is final and there ain’t nothing that you can do to change that.”

**“STOP MAKING THIS SO DAMN DIFFICULT!”**

The dragon reared up, its wings folding onto its body. With a tremendous crash it slammed back down on the ground. The ground started rumbling and then spurts of lava came out of large cracks. They seemed to hit everywhere... everywhere but where I am. The dragon looked away. I noticed that the black filter over my eyes was fading away and the dragon soon became his normal color again. 

**“G-dog is right. I can’t protect the ones who don’t want to be protected. Just get out of my sight.”****  
** Without another word the dragon picked up his basket and then started fading away into thin air.

“Wait! What is your name?” I asked.

**“Brown. Not like it matters anyway.”**

And just like that Brown was gone. I felt somewhat bad for sending him off like that but what else could I have done? I wish I knew the answer.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Chapter 19

A tale that will send dread throughout you heart

  
  
  
  


I walked out of the Caverns Blue Light, an apple in my hand. If I remember correctly the Caves of Echos should be in here. I went through a waterfall and shook myself off, getting me as dry as possible. I placed the apple down on a rock and took a seat on a bench. I looked at the plans once again. Mayla and Maya... They were so protective of humans yet they say nothing of the plan. We knew for quite sometimes that humans have lost their magic but who knows what other weapons that they have. This was the only option that we have left.

The plan was simple. We collected human essence and then we build powerful engines. We planned to drill our way back to the surface, destroying a lot of our city but destroying many more of theirs.

**Nothing. We did nothing.**

They just attacked us without any warning. Rescue Dog is dead after trying to make peace with them. I can well see why Chewawahua wanted the humans dead. We have done so much for them and now this is what we have to expect from them. They gave us a broken kingdom, a broken world, and a broken trust. Penny always said that everyone deserves a second chance... I don’t think he knows of the plan.

I sighed and looked at the blueprints. They were not that accurate to the ones in the lab but still, it gave me hope. I thought of Rescue Dog; his black and white coat, his green eyes and hearty smile. He was called the savior of mankind since he saved them so many times. This is how they repay him. He was nice. I knew he was like a brother to Chewawahua. They have been through so much together. I couldn’t help but let out a growl. How could they do this? After everything? They killed so many then send us right through that portal. All humans deserve to die for what they have done. They say let the past be the past but, I was there when Rescue Dog’s friend, Techno, went through. I was there when he returned, five bullet holes in his chest and three arrows in his neck. He died right there. That’s when I decided that all humans deserve to die. They kill anything they don’t understand. I wonder what tales of monsters they were telling. Did they show us as civilized beings who happened to feel their wraith for no reason? That’s not it. I bet you they think of us as large or maybe small terrible creatures with no mercy and we kill all on sight. Funny how humans seem to be more like that than us.

I think most monsters have made up their mind quite some time ago that dying but getting revenge on the ones that have tormented us for so long is a death worth living for. I’m even one-hundred percent sure the queens want the plan to happen. I know that I want the plan to happen. That means though that I might have to break the promise that I made to them. That is why I never like promises. You can never keep them. I’m talking about real ones like those. It’s a stupid thing to get binding on. I reached underneath the bench and pulled out my picture album.

**The Judges**

That was a memory bringer. I opened the first page and looked at the picture that was there. It was me, Nick, Jacob, Pike, Dego, Dega, Vengo, Penny, Sherla, Misfortune, Georgie, Carkteeth, and Kneel. We were all standing there smiling even though we knew just how grim our job was. We were tasked to kill humans and kill any threat to the plan. No matter who it is. The only one on the team who didn’t know what the plan was or that we had to kill humans was Penny. He just thought we were brought together to capture humans. Poor skeleton.

The Judges disbanded after a mass riot and five of us died. Dego, Dega, Sherla, Kneel, and Pike. We all got experimented on and were extremely strong. I think we maybe killed more than half of the monster population. It was a waste and anyone who saw it were sworn into staying silent. That was two centuries ago. We monsters were made to last. 

**Never forget that we all have the same goal.**

We did. I remember all too well that the riot was caused by a human child. Humans once again struck us. After seeing my friends die and then knowing the cause of it... I give up. Why? _ Why would they do such a thing? We really didn’t do anything to them. This is how they repay us. _

I knew what we were fighting for. I knew that humans had to pay. This isn’t about the future. This is about the past. For our victory...

** _We will get revenge._ **

I love it when we say it at the same time.

**Yeah me too.**

I got up and walked towards the picture of the engines. I will die gladly for this. I will die for this kingdom.

Chapter 20

She grew a flower

  
  
  
  


“How many traps are there?” I asked no one.

The next room was full of strange stone things with holes in the middle of them. I didn’t see them the first time and got shot five times with arrows. At least I died quickly. The last trap which if I pulled the wrong lever a giant axe swung down I managed to get past without dying once! Then Lucky appeared and killed me and then I died twice on the trap but hey, it was the thought that counts! I carefully put a foot down on the hallway. Nothing happened. I decided that this spot was safe and put my other foot on it. No arrows or anything firing at me. That’s good! I took another step forward then stopped when an arrow whizzed by my head. Not that way. 

I carefully put my foot down where the other one is then went to the right. No arrows. Great! I went on that one and stepped forward. Once again nothing. I took another one and once again nothing happened. Now the choice is to I take another step forward or do I go to the right? I sighed, realizing that this was gonna be a while.

  
  
  


....

That was a memory bringer. I opened the first page and looked at the picture that was there. It was me, Nick, Jacob, Pike, Dego, Dega, Vengo, Penny, Sherla, Misfortune, Georgie, Carkteeth, and Kneel. We were all standing there smiling even though we knew just how grim our job was. We were tasked to kill humans and kill any threat to the plan. No matter who it is. The only one on the team who didn’t know what the plan was or that we had to kill humans was Penny. He just thought we were brought together to capture humans. Poor skeleton.

The Judges disbanded after a mass riot and five of us died. Dego, Dega, Sherla, Kneel, and Pike. We all got experimented on and were extremely strong. I think we maybe killed more than half of the monster population. It was a waste and anyone who saw it were sworn into staying silent. That was two centuries ago. We monsters were made to last. 

**Never forget that we all have the same goal.**

We did. I remember all too well that the riot was caused by a human child. Humans once again struck us. After seeing my friends die and then knowing the cause of it... I give up. Why? _ Why would they do such a thing? We really didn’t do anything to them. This is how they repay us. _

I knew what we were fighting for. I knew that humans had to pay. This isn’t about the future. This is about the past. For our victory...

** _We will get revenge._ **

I love it when we say it at the same time.

**Yeah me too.**

I got up and walked towards the picture of the engines. I will die gladly for this. I will die for this kingdom.

Chapter 20

She grew a flower

  
  
  
  


“How many traps are there?” I asked no one.

The next room was full of strange stone things with holes in the middle of them. I didn’t see them the first time and got shot five times with arrows. At least I died quickly. The last trap which if I pulled the wrong lever a giant axe swung down I managed to get past without dying once! Then Lucky appeared and killed me and then I died twice on the trap but hey, it was the thought that counts! I carefully put a foot down on the hallway. Nothing happened. I decided that this spot was safe and put my other foot on it. No arrows or anything firing at me. That’s good! I took another step forward then stopped when an arrow whizzed by my head. Not that way. 

I carefully put my foot down where the other one is then went to the right. No arrows. Great! I went on that one and stepped forward. Once again nothing. I took another one and once again nothing happened. Now the choice is to I take another step forward or do I go to the right? I sighed, realizing that this was gonna be a while.

  
  


....  
  


“ACK!” I yelled out in agony. I just made it past that trap when a sudden agonizing headache got me on my knees. I felt a strange feeling go through my body and then the headache past. My vision was a little blurry again but I blinked once and brighten my eyes. I felt a little weird. I felt a little bit heavier as well. I ignored it and blamed it on the headache that had just happened and went forward. 

“Well hello again Ann. You finally got past the traps! Congratulations.”

I let out a hiss of annoyance and turned around. Lucky was there of course.

“There are no more traps past this point. I am being serious.”

Should I be happy of afraid right now? Lucky had killed me four times by now. The fourth one was that he wanted to see me do the arrow puzzle again. I felt so useless against him. I was bigger than him but he could still kill me with ease. I hated being powerless especially against a foe who wants to play with me for what seems like forever.

“What do you want now? Are you here to kill me again?”

Lucky seemed to pause and think for a couple of seconds before five purple barbs appeared right next to him. I gasped and took a couple of stepbacks, afraid that he will kill me again.

“Hehehe. That reaction was great. Fortunately for you I won’t. Not with Mayla so near. If I kill you and she senses it she will have the urge to come here and I won’t be able to play with you when you complete the trap.”

“Maylachew is?” I asked. I didn’t hear her. Maybe I’m not listening hard enough or maybe Lucky just has better hearing than me. Maybe that’s also why he left me alone when I first met him. He knew Brown was coming. In a way it made sense. If Lucky said that he had the power before then he must know more about it than I do. He even gave it a name. Even though it seems only he remembers when I come back, others still have some kind of memory. So lets say that Lucky killed me while Brown was coming, wouldn’t that mean that Brown would come faster if he wanted to protect me? That is if Brown doesn’t remember when I die since he never killed me. He didn’t want to.

“Why do you want me dead so badly?” I asked Lucky.

“Oh little old me? So I can get my powers back and go on with the plan.” He said flatly.

“What plan?” I asked. I at least wanted to know why he kept on torturing me.

“This world isn’t nice kid. Humans have done so much shit to monsters that they are willing to die to get revenge. I want them to be happy but I can’t let them kill off the humans. So I need to stop them and in order to do that I need to get stronger.”

So Lucky was trying to help humans and monsters? Seems unlikely but Lucky seems serious. What about him saying that monsters are willing to die to get revenge though?

“What do you mean that monsters are willing to die to get revenge? What is happening in here?”  
“I think you mean under here.” Lucky corrected smugly.

“Under here? You mean that we’re underground?” I asked.

“Yep! And monsters are using human essence to power up a drill and engines and plan to dig out of here, destroying many many cities and towns from above. All of your friends and family,”

Lucky’s face twisted into a horrible smile.

“all dead by your own kind. Isn’t that funny?”

Lucky began laughing horribly before melting into the shadows, disappearing. What if he said was true? No, he was just trying to get me down. I will get out of here. Maybe I can also learn more about human monsters while I’m at it. First I just need to get out of here first.

“Child? Are you okay? You seem a little bit shaken up.”

I recognize Maylachew’s voice. I got up and looked at Maylachew who was standing there with a basket in her jaws, the same one from before. 

“Mayla!” I cried out in happiness and hugged her.

“Are you okay darling?! Is something the matter? I shouldn’t have left you alone.”

I stopped hugging Maylachew and let out a sigh of relief. I was safe now. I was finally safe. Maylachew looked at me with a worried and concerned look though.

“Have you always had that flower over your right ear? That looks bad.”

“What flower?” I asked. I suddenly grew very worried. I reached gingerly up and touched my right ear... only I touched what seemed to be a flower first. I felt like crying all of a sudden. What the hell is that. I gave it a little tug but the pain that came from it made me whimper. It seemed to be connected to my skull. I think pulling it out would be extremely painful and might kill me too.

“Quick! Follow me back to my house. I have medical supplies there.”

Maylachew quickly turned around and went though a door. I followed her, afraid of what will happen if Lucky comes back and wanting to know why the flower was growing out of my ear. That dog could move! I was having trouble keeping up the pace. Finally Maylachew stopped in front of a nice looking black gate. She opened it and then went through. I followed her.

I gasped at what I saw. On the other side of the gate was a large castle-like house. A sign was hanging down from one of the black spikes. They seemed to be six of them, three on both sides of the castle house. The sign read everyone is welcome! The castle house had four large purple windows but other than that it was the same golden sand like color as mostly everything else. I watched as Maylachew dropped the basket and then grabbed a key from inside then unlocked the simple looking wooden door. She then grabbed the basket and beckoned me inside. I followed her.

The inside of the house was neat and cozy. It was a dull yellow color but what made it cozy was the neatness of it. A table was next to the front door showing pictures of Maylachew and some other monster who was large and fluffy looking with grey fur. It looked like a goat and a dog mixed together. Then another one caught my eye. It was a picture of the goat dog one and Mayla with a skeleton with black stains that looked like tears running out of its eyes. It had sharp claws and the same purple colored eyes that I have

.   
“That is Anti.”

I let out a gasp and spun around. It was the dog goat lady from the picture. She was wearing a tanish coat with a green shirt and black shorts. 

“Oh. Sorry for intruding.” I say nervously.

“Nonsense. I heard that Mayla found you. She told me all about you. I can see how your interested in Anti. After all he does have the same eye color as you and he is also a human monster.”

“He is?” I gasped. That was great! If they know him then maybe I can meet him and learn about myself.

“Though how come he looks like a skeleton?” I asked.

“Experiments. He used to be the same colored skin as you.” Mayla said, entering the room.

“Oh.” I wondered what experiments someone could do to make you into a skeleton.

“Do you mind if I have a look?” The goat dog monster asked. 

“No I don’t mind.” I just wanted the flower gone. The goat dog lady gently crouched down and then even more gently brushed the flower with grey fluffy finger. It felt numb all of a sudden. Was it apart of me? It must be if I could feel what it is feeling. 

“Mayla said it hurts if you pull on it. Is that right?”

“Yeah.” I told her. Then I noticed something. The goat dog monster had the same colored horns as me only larger and more pointed backwards. That means this must be Queen Maya. Queen Maya looked at Maylachew and they seemed to share a thought.

“Get some rest. Mayla will show you to the guest bedroom. By tomorrow we will have some answers.”

I got the feeling that they were gonna talk to Anti. I followed Mayla into the bedroom. It was down a red hallway with a purple carpet. Maylachew opened the door to reveal a large room with a queen sized bed and a bucket of toys. There was one window but it was boarded up. When I looked through a crack in it there seemed to be nothing there anyway. I settled down in the bed.

“Goodnight darling! Sweet dreams.”

“Goodnight Maylachew. Thank you.” I told her back. Maylachew said it was nothing then flicked off a switch that turned the lights off and closed the door. I noticed that there was a night light on the opposite side of the wall. If it was fully dark in here...

I noticed something though. A strange bluish purplish glow was coming from the right side of me. Was the flower glowing? I didn’t know. I decided to go to sleep but noted for myself to try and wake up early so I could see what they were gonna talk to Anti about. It was a skill of mine that I can set up magical timers. I hope this one works. The bed was the most comfortable bed that I have ever slept with.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Chapter 21

Anti

  
  
  


I woke up suddenly. The guess room was entirely lit up with the glow from my eyes and the glow of the flower. My timer worked. I dimmed my eyes and got out of bed. I felt much better. I carefully crept to the door and opened it. For a second I thought it was gonna be locked but it wasn’t. I opened it and peaked my head out. The coast was clear. I stepped out into the hall and went to the front door. I never went to the left. I also noticed another door that was open and it seemed to be leading down to somewhere. I decided to go down where that might be leading me. Mainly because the other room looked like a kitchen and living room and Maylachew was sleeping on the couch.

I took extra precaution on the stairs since these ones looked heavy and thick and I didn’t want to die again. I can’t stand dying again. It must have been about eight minutes of me walking down the stairs when I finally reached the bottom. It was a straight hallway to a large golden metal door. Sitting in front of it was Maya. I quickly went behind a corner that was just big enough for me to fit and hide myself.

....

  
  
  


I reached the door just on time. I closed my phone and put it in my pocket. I sat down in front of it and let out a sigh. I wondered what she called me for. I knocked on the door, announcing my presence.

“Hey Maya. I got your call.”

“Thank god. Anti, I need to talk to you about something.”

I sniffed the air. Something smelled off. I was pretty certain that I could smell human in there.

“I smell human. Did you really make me promise that because you had one in there?”

  
  
  


....

  
  
  
  


How did Anti smell me? Wait, he must have smelled the human scent on my clothes and most likely my hair as well.

“No Anti. It’s the girl.”

“What about the girl? You said that she was a monster human like me right? We don’t smell anything like humans unless we want to.”

I find it weird that monsters can tell humans by their scent. I guess it makes some sense since monsters have a better sense of smell, hearing, and sight than humans. At least that’s what my mother taught me.

“Anti... The girl comes from the human place. She was raised by humans.”  
  


  
  
  


....

  
  
  


“WHAT!” 

How is that even possible? Humans hate monsters. Monsters hate humans. How in the world is that possible. Well it is but it happening? Hell no.

“Monsters hate humans. Humans hate monsters. How is that even possible?” 

“I do not know.”

“That goes against everythi-”  
“Everything Aztorc said.” Maya interpreted me angrily.

“Everything that the humans did to us.” I angrily hissed back.

“What monster would just put that entire war behind them. Sure it might be before the war but then after it?! They’re a traitor to us all.”

“Am I a traitor too?” Maya asked, catching me by surprise.

“Your not. You say nothing of the plan. Both of you don’t. You want the plan to happen but you also want the children to be safe. It’s a sick way of earning our freedom isn’t it? The only humans that can enter are children.”

Maya stayed silent. I knew I was right.

  
  
  


....

  
  
  


What plan was Anti talking about. I thought briefly of what Lucky said but quickly put it aside. There was no way right? There was no way what he had said was true and that Mayla and Maya both wanted it to happen.

“The past sucks doesn’t it. And it doesn’t seem to change either. What will the humans say when they realize the way we got out is by killing children who come down here? Peaceful isn’t an option. Not after everything they have done to us. They forgot about the war too Maya so that goes back to what I said about us killing the children.”

Maya sighed. I knew what Anti was saying was true. What would humans say? I have a sick feeling that I don’t want to learn of the monsters past. If I did, I don’t think I will ever look at humanity the same way ever again. I’m also gonna assume by now that they are talking about what Lucky had said.

“Is it so bad too hope that monsters will change their mind?”

“I think your mind hasn’t changed. You might love the children... but the riot...”

I wondered what riot he was talking about. Maybe they will start talking about it. There was so much things that I don’t know.

“How many chances do they have left. We both know the answer is zero. You can’t stay mad at Aztorc for trying to stop another accident to happen. He was right. Now I’m not saying that you should devorce or go on with your relationship like nothing has never happened as the precautions that he and Chewawahua did were extreme, but you can now see where they were coming from. Though even I must admit it wasn’t a golden opportunity to say something then.”

They both let out a chuckle. Was there a joke that I missed? If so it seemed to be a bad joke.

“I think we just need some more time. Anyway, the other reason why I wanted to talk to you is because of the girl again. A flower is growing out of her ear. A _ Night Orchid.” _

I leaned in a little closer so that I can listen better.

“I snapped next to the girl’s ear and I don’t think she heard it. I think the flower has taken away her hearing in that ear.”

She did?! That’s bad. That is really bad. That means the flower is a parasite, right?

“Like a parasite? I don’t think that is normal. I mean it has to be a parasite since it took out her right ear. Have you checked if there is more in her skull?”

“No. Wait, isn’t her brain inside there?”  
One benefit I guess to being a monster human is I don’t have anything in my head. It’s just empty. It’s just skin attached to bone.

“No. We don't have anything inside of our skull. That does beg the question how do we cry but still do this day the answer hasn’t been solved.”

“Oh. Well I’ll do it when she is awake.”

“Hmm... Is it attached to her skull?”

“I think so. It hurts if she pulls on it. Mayla said it might be a big health risk if we do.”  
“If she comes out I can have my father look at him. He’s a brilliant and great scientist.”

“I would rather him not.” Maya said dryly.

“Why not? He helps monsters all the time.”

“Did he help you?”

I could feel the tension rise from here.

** _“You wanna take that back?”_ **

Not even Lucky could make himself sound that scary. Anti sounded pissed off. There was a minute of silence after that.

“You know that I hate what he has done with you. But you're right. I’m sorry for saying such a nasty thing.”

  
  
  


....

  
  
  


I let out a sigh and my left eye went back to being normal again.

“I’m sorry for getting mad. He did give me something though, the ability to fight back and protect the ones that I can protect. I promise no experiments or anything bad will happen to her. I promise that.”

I heard Maya let out a sigh of relief.

“All right. I will trust him. Promise me this though. Can you watch over her. Please?”

I let out another sigh. Another promise.

“Alright Maya. I promise.”


End file.
